Gentleman / 3r Ernesto Pereira

Architects: 3r Ernesto Pereira
Location: Vila do Conde, Portugal
Architect In Charge: Ernesto Pereira
Design Team: Tiago Pedrosa Martins, Daniela Leitão, Savitri Ciavattini
Area: 65.0 m2
Project Year: 2017
Photographs: João Morgado

Construction And Coordination: 3r Ernesto Pereira
Construction Team: Helder Moreira, Joaquim Linhares, José Rocha, Maria José Pereira, Bruno Moreira

“Speechless!!! My baby, my dream, surpassed and achieved…”
-…with tears in her eyes, on the inauguration day, these were the words of client and friend Daniela Fortunato, model and now also businesswoman.

It is words like these that motivate us and make us proud. The difficulty in creating and constructing an Architectural Work, especially in this case with an extremely low budget: €6,500 (six thousand, five hundred euros) for the design and implementation of a multi-brand men’s clothing store. Yes, just €6,500!! With the added constraint that we only had five weeks from the start of the project to the opening of the store.That’s why we nicknamed this project “LowLowCost”.

We had to think of something that would surprise and captivate the customer, and at the same time which would be quick to construct. We opted for the creation of an “Architectonic Installation” that would serve the chic/casual commercial needs. Like a sculpture, completely constructed from a single block of material that did not need a finish, protection or colouring. We intended to create an installation that had an instant impact, whereby its materiality would be a secondary consideration, with the need for something that could be created quickly always in the forefront of our minds. We opted for Oriented Strand Board (OSB) used in the building industry as a plain and auxiliary material.

The whole design is based on the implementation of a “sculpture” that is fragmented and creates spaces. Entrance, display, counter, accessories display, fitting rooms, and leisure area. This last zone has a differentiated and natural appearance, the sign of life and growth, a small garden at the centre of the installation with a single olive tree.