Architecture that creates city. A proposal for Santa Maria, on the island of Sal, where public space is no longer what is left between buildings but what organises them.
Location: Santa Maria, Sal Island, Cabo Verde
Programme: Mixed use: retail, services and housing
Area: 2,414.64 m²
Year: 2025
Stage: Competition proposal
Disciplines: Architecture and engineering
The void as a starting point
The project is structured around volumetric fragmentation and a central public space as its organizing element. Four strategically placed volumes define a continuous inner courtyard that works as a place to meet, to move through and to stay.
A ground floor open to the city
The ground floor is defined by openness and the continuity of public space, with arcades, green areas and water features that enrich the experience of those passing through and those who stay. Fluid pathways connect the volumes, keeping the ground level visually and physically permeable.
Privacy without walls
The upper floors hold the residential and service programs, with privacy and a clear functional hierarchy. The separation between public and private is achieved through section and sightlines, not physical barriers.
Façades that control light
The façades use a modular system that combines rhythm, depth and solar control to create a cohesive, contemporary image. The material palette favors a sober, durable language, where light, shadow and the repetition of vertical elements reinforce the ensemble’s architectural identity.
Designed for Sal’s climate
The courtyard, arcades and vertical fins create shade and encourage cross-ventilation, reducing reliance on mechanical systems and lowering running costs over the building’s life. On the roof, a terrace with a pool opens the scheme to the horizon.
Credits
Architecture and engineering: César Freitas Arquitetos
Team: César Freitas, Décio Varela, Anderson Monteiro, Paulo Nascimento, Alessandro Brito, Áureo Morais
3D images: César Freitas Arquitetos, Décio Varela
Evaluating a site or a mixed-use development in Cabo Verde? Let’s talk: geral@cesarfreitas.com · +238 260 11 90