Nuno Melo Sousa

Perched atop a small hill in Penafiel, Corcet is conceived like a local acropolis — a purposeful elevation for a headquarters building that brings together a surprising array of functions. Commissioned by a family-run business, the complex balances industrial performance with spatial richness, articulating a dense program within a singular concrete structure.


The building hosts a wide range of uses: from a motorcycle sports and navigation hardware shop, to offices, software development labs, storage rooms, a cafeteria, showroom for heavy equipment, and a technical assistance area with loading docks. These varying functions are distributed across three cores, which are tied together by an open-air gallery that lends cadence and rhythm through a rigorous repetition of pillars — an architectural gesture that hints at monumentality before the user even enters.


Internally, the strategy remains one of controlled contrasts. Twin patios carve light and green space into the grey bulk, while an axial entrance leads to a dramatic double-stair lobby defined by four vertical columns and a raised ceiling. Circulation is intuitively handled, with a central path and cross-routes weaving through the second level, supporting clear orientation amid the programmatic density.


Materially, the building is grounded in its place: granite from the local topography is used for pavements and walls, forming a continuous surface that subtly detaches the heavy concrete structure above. The result is a building that feels both deeply rooted and formally precise — a “concrete mammoth” visually lifted by its granite base.