Convento Do Beato Event Center / RISCO

Architects: RISCO
Area: 5574 m²
Year: 2022
Photographs: Carolina Delgado
Manufacturers: Geberit, JUNG, Jansen, Reggiani, Reynaers Aluminium, Assa Abloy, Bega, CLIMAR, Saint-Gobain, iGuzzini, Bobrick, CIFIAL, Dialum, EGE, EXENIA, FLOS, FTF, Fassa Bortolo, JNF, Lasvit, +6
Products Used in This Project: Light Switch – LS 990 by JUNG, Curtain Walls – ConceptWall 50 by Reynaers Aluminium, Fire Doors – Economy 50 by Jansen, Fire Doors – Janisol 2 EI30 by Jansen
Project Coordinator: Tomás Salgado
Structure: A2P
HVAC: Dimensionar
Hydraulics Consultant: Sopsec
Acoustics: Sopsec
Electrical Installations: Caon
Landscape Architecture: NPK
Lighting Project: Filamento
Fire Safety: Redifogo
City: Lisbon
Country: Portugal

Convento do Beato Event Center, designed by RISCO for Beato Lux, renovates a historic complex in Lisbon, including the Events Center, old church, and industrial buildings repurposed for services, housing, and outdoor spaces. Begun in 2018 and set for completion in 2024, with the Events Center finished in 2022, the project improves safety, comfort, and functionality. Technical upgrades include new telecommunications, energy, and security systems, along with kitchen restoration and modified windows, doors, and railings. Creative elements include courtyards, administrative buildings, sanitary facilities, and walkways blending contemporary design with historical architecture. The cloister’s outdated roof was replaced with a lightweight honeycomb-structured ceiling featuring skylights for insulation, sound absorption, and integrated air-conditioning, complementing the stone elevations with modern contrasts. RISCO balanced modern and traditional approaches, integrating technical needs while preserving the heritage, creating a modernized Events Center that respects the site’s architectural value.

The Convento do Beato complex consists of approximately a dozen buildings originating from various historical periods. These include the old church, remnants of the original convent, and several structures primarily built for industrial purposes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The convent’s original cloister, chapter room, refectory, staircase, and library have been preserved and have served as an Events Center for several years.

The project, designed by RISCO for Beato Lux, involves remodeling the Events Center and renovating or refurbishing the remaining buildings to accommodate new uses, such as services in the old church and housing in the former industrial structures. It also includes the construction of two car parks—one above ground and one underground—along with the development of various outdoor spaces. Work began in 2018 and is expected to be completed in 2024. In March 2022, the refurbishment of the Events Center was finalized, with a focus on enhancing the comfort and safety of the thousands of visitors attending events such as parties, corporate meetings, and product launches.

The refurbishment included a technical aspect, which involved replacing the telecommunications, energy, and security systems, restoring the kitchen, and making adjustments to window and door spans, as well as railings. In addition, the project had a creative side, focusing on the design of the administrative building, courtyards, new sanitary facilities, and distinctive features such as the walkways for the library’s emergency exits. These walkways exemplify the design approach adopted for working with valuable architectural heritage, aiming to enhance the visual contemporaneity of new elements while ensuring they harmonize with the existing architecture rather than creating clashing contrasts.

The project also required precise “surgical operations” in the library, foyer, refectory, and chapter room to install an air-conditioning system, double the number of roof support trusses, and modify window and door spans. Efforts were made to carry out this work as discreetly as possible to preserve the integrity of the spaces.

The most significant transformation occurred in the cloister, which serves as the venue for larger-scale events. Since the 1980s, the space had been covered by a pyramid-shaped roof with acrylic panels that lacked proper smoke clearance, thermal insulation, and acoustic insulation, rendering it unsuitable for such uses. Additionally, the absence of an air-conditioning system made the space particularly uncomfortable during very hot days.

The design of the new ceiling emerged from an extensive process of technical and formal research, driven by the goal of creating a structure that was lightweight, technically efficient, and architecturally consistent with the cloister elevations. The final solution features a system of orthogonally arranged trusses forming “honeycombs,” illuminated from above by skylights. These skylights provide thermal and acoustic insulation while being mechanically operable in case of fire. The “honeycombs” are clad with high-performance sound-absorbent material, significantly enhancing interior comfort and sound quality. Moreover, air-conditioning ducts are seamlessly integrated into the periphery of the structure.

The new ceiling both respects and enhances the proportions of the cloister elevations while introducing a distinctly contemporary design language. The contrast between the worked stone vertical planes and the smooth, white plaster ceiling adds depth to the space, creating a complexity that was previously absent. In this project, as in others, no single approach was applied universally: in some areas, technical installations were concealed, while in others, they were integrated as part of the overall composition. Similarly, the design alternates between a contemporary style and a more conservative approach, replicating the original carpentry, masonry, and metalwork where appropriate.

The project was extensive and complex, necessitating frequent and ongoing adjustments as the work progressed. The outcome successfully integrates all the necessary elements for operating a modern events center while preserving the architectural and heritage significance of the spaces. Ensuring this balance between functionality and respect for the site’s historical value was the primary objective of the work.