Our work at Arrebita!Porto

Arrebita! Porto is a social project that aims to combat the abandonment of the city center of Oporto, through rehabilitation at zero cost. The project is based on a collaborative system among young international architects and engineers, suppliers of materials and equipment and teachers of universities and technical schools.

DIMSCALE is a partner since the initial stage of the project and is responsible for the Financial Project Management. We have worked directly with the various teams of international architects and engineers who have passed through the project. Although this is a collaborative project that relies on partnerships and donations of goods and services, the optimization and the control of the costs assume great importance to obtain reference values in this area, with a view of replicating this model
in other cities. We have also provided support in the area of consultancy solutions and construction processes as a way to bring the project to the solutions that best fit its needs and architectural concept, always safeguarding the aspect of cost control. All work has been developed based on international standards SMM (Standard Method of Measurement for Building Elements).

This is also a case study on how we have worked with the teams that have been through the project – there was constant monitoring of all phases of the project from the Preliminary Study, which has allowed the collection of a lot of important information that made possible the search for the best technical solutions and more financially advantageous. This work has implications in the short term and long term, particularly in terms of sustainability and profitability of the building.

The project is about to enter the construction on sight phase. Continue to follow our blog to keep in touch with the Arrebita's last news.

DIMSCALE - Where To From Here

David Cardoso - Marketing and Communication DIMSCALE

We developed a strategy based on the assertion that a strong financial management is key for the success of any project. This strategy has also passed by the credibility of the work of Quantity Surveying, which in Portugal is not yet considered a project specialty and is often left to second plane. We rely on partnerships with various entities and on the collaboration with a social entrepreneurship project on urban regeneration - the case study Arrebita!Porto. We put into practice
different communication actions that have allowed us a closer and deeper relationship with our customers and partners.

Today we draw a strategy to continue the exploration of new markets and new opportunities to work on reference projects. We bet on the United Arab Emirates and Qatar markets and on the Lusophone
markets (Angola, Mozambique and Brazil).

At the same time, we want to solidify our presence in the Portuguese market, seeking to present our service to new customers as a way to be able to contribute to the success of their national and international projects. We work based on international standards, which are methodologies
applicable in any project worldwide.

"After we had put in place an affirmation strategy of the
importance of our work to the success of the projects, we are
now exploring new markets and new opportunities.”

DIMSCALE - Where We Come From

Artur Sousa - CEO DIMSCALE - Architect and Project Manager

 
DIMSCALE arises from our experience and training in the areas of project management, supervision,  Quantity Surveying and Architecture, and is presented as a response to a set of necessities for managing projects of Architecture and Construction. Based on the trust relationships we have with the people we work with, our mission is to bring real added value to projects.

We combine technical expertise resulting from over 20 years of experience with training in Architecture, allowing us to speak the same language as our customers wich in turn allows us to better understand the concept of each project. As a result we are able to better manage the conceptual, technical and economic aspects of each project, wich will lead to a higher consistency, credibility and quality of the project.

DIMSCALE specializes in the provision of services of Financial Project Management and Quantity Surveying. Having a strong specialization in the economic area, it ensures at the same time an integrated
management of projects that meet the goals set for its correct execution.

"Our participation in projects translates into capital savings by the real estate
investors, and into the safeguard ofthe final quality and the concept drawn
up by the project designer. " - Artur Sousa

Pedro Gadanho - the view from a Portuguese architect in New York

Pedro Gadanho is a Portuguese architect, and from a year ago he is also one of the curators of the New York's MoMA (Museum of Modern Art). Pedro Gadanho is in Portugal to speak in two conferences about the role of curators as cultural critics.

At MoMA, Pedro is integrated on the team of the Architecture and Design chief curator Barry Bergdoll. This museum has one of the biggest and most important Architecture collections in the world, with more than 30.000 items.

About the European economical crisis, that greatly affects Portugal, Pedro Gadanho remembers that "when the Construction sector stops, architects are the first to feel the consequences". He defended that, with a scenery like this one, Portuguese architects should look for alternatives and search for other markets. "If we have values that are able to affirm themselves beyond borders, why shouldn't we do it?"

Pedro Gadanho's conferences will take place in Lisbon (at Instituto Superior Técnico, today at 18 PM) and Porto (at Faculdade de Letras, tomorrow ate 15 PM).  

Pedro Gadanho's photo: Paulo Pimenta

Land Cork, structures for ecotourism

Land Cork was develop as an answer to a contest of ideas for new concepts for beach support facilities. It developed itself as a concept to become an "ecomodular, versatile and sustainable structure aimed to ecotourism". Land Cork can have multiple applications: restaurants, coffee shops, accomodation, information stations and variable supporting facilities. It can be implemented on environments like beaches, mountains and natural parks. It is made 90% from wood and cork, with an area of 36 square meters for each module. Its composition and the solutions installed guarantee the thermal and acoustic efficiency and the energetic autonomy - the structure seize power from both solar and wind energy and reuses the raining water.

This project was developed by four Portuguese architects: Ricardo Paulino, Fábio Neves, Ivone Gonçalves and Luís Ricardo. This group of architects form ForStudio Architects. This team is now developing the Business Plan for this project.

Land Cork in one of the multiple projects that illustrate that architects can apply their knowledge to other areas than project drawing. "At this stage, we have to search, as designers, for solutions that are missing. We can not sit around waiting to know what is missing", says Ricardo Paulino, one of the authors.

Charging batteries for 2013 - MERRY XMAS

DIMSCALE will be out of office until January 2nd. This period will be availed for "charging batteries" for the next year. 2012 was a year of learning and a year to delineate new strategies. We see the next year as a year of realized opportunities and new paths. We want to share our optimism with our clients and partners, because, when facing difficulties, we all have to be part of the solution!

We wish a MERRY XMAS to everyone and a great 2013!

ShelterbyGG - a habitable sculpture

 
This project was created by the artist Gabriela Gomes to integrate Guimarães 2012 - European Capital of Culture. The challenge was to bring to the public space an habitable object, with sculptural and Design characteristics.

This module includes a double bedroom, a WC and a multipurpose zone at the centre of the interior space. It presents a strong aesthetic component, given by its peculiar form. The module was built only with Portuguese materials, mostly cork, that assured the acoustic and thermal efficiency. 

This project crosses Sculpture, Design and also Architecture - was also worked by the architect Sérgio Bessa. It also has a slope related to the sustainability: this module can be installed anywhere and be totally independent, due to the solar panels that give electrical energy to the habitation. Also, all the materials used in the construction are eco-friendly. 

We met the creators of this project also at Projecto Casa 2012. Check out more information on the official website (www.shelterbygg.com).

All the photos above were taken by João Morgado.

 

 

 

 

 

 

New partner in the Architecture reportage area - ARCHMOV

ARCHMOV was launched recently by the Portuguese Architecture photographer Ivo Tavares. We met Ivo and his project at the tradeshow Projecto Casa, where we had the opportunity to talk about possible partnerships between us. ARCHMOV is a concept of Architecture in Motion, which features the video format as an alternative to the photographic reportage.

Consult ARCHMOV's website to watch the first video of the project.

"The ARCHMOV team believes that can help you to empower your business by transforming your architecture projects into video, and spread them worldwide. 

ARCHMOV uses internet power and video performance to reach and connect with a large network of fans, equal peers, enterprises and potencial clients. Our goal is to reveal your architecture projects in a small presenteation video on the web, attracting an audience of millions who interact, work, post, discuss and share trough social media."

- in ARCHMOV website (archmov.com)

The third team farewell

Congratulations for the work of all members of this third team. Good luck with your future projects, we hope to meet again soon!

 

 

On the top of the stairs (from the left) is David Brownstein from Scotland, Tatiana Dourado from Portugal and Céline Marchi from France. On the bottom (also from the left) is Marco Paolini from Italy and Luis Torrescano from Mexico.

DIMSCALE at Projecto Casa tradeshow

We were present at the tradeshow Projecto Casa 2012 at Exponor (Matosinhos - Portugal), as partners of Arrebita! Porto. The event happened this year between the 6th and 9th of December. This is a tradeshow aimed at the Architecture and Design sectors, having been present several innovative projects related to this area, service and constructive solutions providers and several designers.

The stand of Arrebita! Porto, which was based on a maritime container freight, aimed to reproduce the original design studio. The team of international architects and engineers settled in on this studio during the four days of the fair. The objective of this presence was to disseminate the concept and the work already done, as well as the partners involved. Regarding the disclosure of the partners, was made ​​available to visitors several catalogs and product samples.

By day 8th, was held at stand an Open Working Day, where various partners made ​​a point of the work situation, together with the team. Our presence at the fair also served to make some contacts with other projects related to Architecture, wich we'll also divulge on this blog.

This was the last public event of this third team. At the beginning of the next year, a new team of international architects and engineers will arrive.

Some photos of our presence at the tradeshow: