The new CAM – Gulbenkian Centre for Modern Art

Fusion between contemporary architecture and the surrounding natural context

The new Gulbenkian Center for Modern Art (CAM), designed by Kengo Kuma in collaboration with the associated studio OODA of Porto, is not only an architectural intervention, but a project that is deeply intertwined with the history and culture of Lisbon. The building is proposed as a place of reflection, of connection between art, nature and the city, remaining faithful to the tradition of the Fundação Gulbenkian, which preserves the legacy of the collector Calouste Gulbenkian.

One of the distinctive elements of the CAM's architecture is the cantilevered roof, which recalls the shape of the hull of a ship, thus paying homage to the great Portuguese explorers. This choice is part of a discourse of continuity with the maritime history of Portugal, but at the same time evokes the Japanese concept ofengages, a semi-covered passage between the inside and the outside typical of Japanese homes.
This space, which is located on the border between the closed and the open, becomes a metaphor for an architecture that is not rigid but in continuous evolution, capable of dialoguing with the surrounding environment.

Kuma has designed a 100 meter long canopy covered with tiles of Portuguese ceramics, a choice that combines tradition and modernity. The canopy serves as a protective element and at the same time as a transition point between the museum spaces and the surrounding garden, visually extending the building into the natural landscape. The new architecture integrates perfectly with the Gulbenkian garden, which has been expanded and redesigned by the landscape architect Vladimir Djurovic to create a real “urban forest”.

This fusion of nature and architecture is at the heart of the project, as Kuma himself explains: the aim is to foster a harmonious dialogue between the building, the city and the surrounding greenery, creating a space that invites reflection, pause and meditation. The architect defines his approach as a "soft and human-scale architecture", which is also evident in the CAM interiors, designed to be fluid and bright. The choice of spaces "by subtraction" and openings that allow the garden and natural light to enter the building contribute to making the museum experience not only visual, but also sensorial, inviting visitors to slow down and experience the space in an immersive way.

With this new intervention, the CAM is not limited to being a simple container of modern art, but proposes itself as a experiential place, where architecture itself becomes an integral part of the cultural heritage and daily life of the city of Lisbon.