The strategy of the design assignment on the masterplan level stresses the importance of the age – friendly design and the sustainability of the development. The main users (target groups) will be local residents (of various age) and the newly discovered social group: Active Third Age Generation - so called Young Seniors. The place of the planned intervention was chosen carefully and it reflects the major ideas of the proposed masterplan and, in my opinion, can also serve as the catalyst of the whole project.

The Supermarket building is facing Rua do Grilo, one of the main streets in Beato district. It’s also one of the first building of MMC when the site is approached from the city centre side. At the same time its history goes back even to the XVII century therefore Supermarket is one of the most interesting structures on the site. The empty plot next to it poses another interesting challenge of the future design.
The function of the new development is combining two target groups mentioned before. Respecting the notions of place making, the main space of the upper floor of the building will consist the public garden which at the same time will connect the street level with the level of the MMC. In the volume above there will be an open school for elderly where they can learn or teach improving their skills and learning new ones. It will be mainly addressed to the local residents and it will aim to improve the condition of their lives: creating the meeting space and opening opportunities for the second jobs. In the basement, more profitable function will balance the social character of the school. The new apartments for elderly will secure the sustainable relationship between the buildings.