Fuse Valley in Portugal
Bjarke Ingels Group has designed Farfetch’s new headquarters within the larger Fuse Valley campus in Porto, Portugal, offering a, “biophilic environment [that] aims to increase productivity and wellbeing.”
The 178,000 square-metre site on the slopes of the Leça River features 12 interconnected buildings forming a manmade extension of the hillside.
“The new FUSE VALLEY,” says BIG, “combines maximum connectivity with a varied visual and physical experience, stimulating human exchange and innovation.”
The Bjarke Ingels Group design for Farfetch’s new headquarters within the larger Fuse Valley campus in Porto, Portugal. Image credit - Bjarke Ingels Group.
All buildings are organised in a checkerboard formation, and their angular design mimics the surrounds, with peaks and valleys created by sloped green roofs.
“Conceived as a community village,” says BIG, “FUSE VALLEY is organised around plazas, parks, and courtyards which are landscaped and programmed to extend the life inside the buildings to the outside.”
The design offers a, “biophilic environment [that] aims to increase productivity and wellbeing. ”Image credit - Bjarke Ingels Group.
Individual buildings rest on a series of urban terraces connecting the main road to the east with the Leça River to the west.
Their interiors are designed to prioritise immersion in nature, and the dense urban fabric and ample vegetation provides a naturally shaded and cool environment.
The plans for slopes of the Leça River feature 12 interconnected buildings which would form a manmade extension of the hillside. Image credit - Bjarke Ingels Group.
Terraces extend interior spaces into the outdoors, and natural paths lead people across the garden roof.
The roofs of the new buildings, “rise and fall to create peaks and valleys, with slopes and terraces providing employees with generous spaces to enjoy breaks and host gatherings- surrounded by views of the river.”
At the ground floor, building facades recede in order to expand public space and form natural canopies to welcome visitors. The slanted building corners merge to create archways and openings between courtyards.
Image credit - Bjarke Ingels Group.
Along the central arrival axis, an urban alley extending from street to river features all the public amenities and programs along Farfetch’s riverfront.
Bjarke Ingels, BIG founder and creative director, says that, “rather than a corporate office complex, Farfetch’s future home in FUSE VALLEY will be a lively urban ensemble bringing every curator, creator, customer and collaborator together in the most innovative new neighbourhood in the city. The urban fabric will allow FUSE VALLEY to grow and expand organically, like a natural village.”
BIG plans to break ground on the project in early 2023, and open the doors to Fuse Valley by 2025.
