Atria Lucum (Atrium of Light)

Atria Lucum, or the “Atrium of Light” in latin, represents the main idea behind the design process of this new Site Shelter and Outdoor Museum for the old Fortaleza da Luz (Fortress of Light) in the town of Peniche, Portugal. Just like the medieval Iberian cloisters, the project represents the threshold between the outside and the inside. By enclosing an area a precise limit is being established between two opposing, yet complementary, aspects of the site. The threshold is the point of union of old and new, the place where inside and outside become unified, where the natural site meets the historical site. Considering this, the project aims to materialise and make evident this threshold. It hopes to create a shelter that unites and protects the cultural and natural landscape of this remarkable place, so that everyone can experience both aspects at the same time.