TICKET OFFICE AT CAIS DO RIO MIRA, VILA NOVA DE MILFONTES, 2020-2022

In continuity with the development of the Rio Mira boardwalk, which we designed as part of the requalification of Vila Nova de Milfontes, this small project arose from the need to integrate a ticket office for a river tour operator into the new boardwalk.

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Near the pier used for crossings to the south bank of the Rio Mira, a cubic volume was introduced, also defining a sheltered area and providing a stopping point along the waterside route. The timber box, sharing the same material expression as the boardwalk, functions as a ticket office and support point for river tours and other activities along the Rio Mira.

A low-impact intervention was developed, fully integrated into its context and strongly connected to the waterline. At a carefully considered scale, the volume aims to foster close interaction between visitors and the service operator, while reinforcing the relationship between the surrounding natural environment and the visitor experience. The building operates as a kiosk with a pivoting opening system; when open, the door provides shade, and when closed, it blends into the volume.

The structure of the ticket office was connected to the boardwalk’s construction system, executed in exotic timber, with the voids between posts and bracing filled with thermal and acoustic insulation. On both sides, the structure is clad in marine plywood panels. Externally, the volume is finished with square-section timber profiles that formally relate to the boardwalk’s handrail system.