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Masterplan for the Adaptative Reuse of Pátio da Eterna Felicidade

MACAO, CHINA

Instituto Cultural do Governo da Região Administrativa Especial de Macau

2020

Design Stage

Public Building

RUI LEÃO, CARLOTTA BRUNI

RUI LEÃO, CARLOTTA BRUNI

BEATRIZ VELOSA, LEONARDO LAU, MAFALDA REBELO, EVA UN I WA, JUNE JIECHUN ZHOU, JOYCE CHAN UN U

The heritage cluster at Patio da Eterna Felicidade is one of many traditional Chinese Patios that define the urban fabric of the Inner Harbor. It is of a significant dimension, comprising 13 building lots aligned along Rua da Tercena and two inner patios that are set along the hill side. The cluster has a particular configuration as it adapts to the morphology of the slope rising towards Mount Fortress, creating an organic urban complex.

The site is associated with the beginnings of the Soy Sauce and Oyster sauce industry, which took its first steps in this location in the first half of the twentieth century. A detailed report with historic notes on the site, its origin, development and function will be drafted on an upcoming milestone. The Patio has a clear aesthetical Value of a well preserved compound in traditional south Chinese shop house typology in the traditional blue and gray bricks. The way the compound gauges the difference in level also it is very interesting.

We have the following preliminary methodology on approach on to the re-generation of the Patio da Eterna Felicidade on how to understand the built heritage and how to re-purpose the built fabric and the type of priorities that should be observed on its future usage for the site, to reinforce its cultural values:

  1. Recreation and interpretation of the historic environment: The site should be used to interpret its past role and origin, related to the production of Soy Sauce and Oyster sauce, taking that as a starting point of focus on other traditional industries of Macau. We consider that the site isn’t adapted for a pure conservation project but an interpretation project, due to drastic change of usage and new public purpose of the whole cluster.
  2. Cultural and identity operation: We wanted to find a way to bring the Patio to the XXI century to be part of Macau’s day to day life and keep the memories of the past alive. Find a way for the patio to fulfill a role for social engagement, identity, and historical narrations.
  3. Community oriented project: To build a cultural project focus on re-tracing the history of Macau`s intangible heritage, actively involving the community, through the sharing of knowledge, oral history, guided tours and creative interpretation of traditional industries, is a strategy that embraces the inner harbor as a whole, allows the engagement of the community as a process of reconciliation with its past.
  4. Develop cultural content of touristic value: Although we did not design the patio to be used by tourists we investigated how to keep the design economically sustainable and interesting for visitors as well. Through the development of partnerships and curatorial work on several fields of intangible heritage (like gastronomy, food products, traditional industries and the understanding of place making) it is possible to build a cultural platform on historical identity issues at Patio da Eterna Felicidade, focusing on the interpretation of the past of the place and to develop partnerships to build products and material of relevant cultural value to enrich the touristic offerings of Macau, to contribute for Macau to build itself into a world city of entertainment and leisure.
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