Project for the transformation and extension of the Convento de São Miguel, in Gaeiras, incorporating a thermal baths and hotel programme. The intervention is grounded in the recognition of the historical and territorial value of the existing complex, treating the convent as a structure of continuity and memory.

The proposal establishes a conceptual relationship with Roman architecture, not through formal imitation but through the reinterpretation of typological principles associated with ancient baths and cisterns. This approach is reinforced by the proximity of the Roman ruins of Eburobrittium, which reveal the historical presence of thermal structures in this area.

The project is organised as a continuous sequence, in which the fluid relationship between interior and exterior spaces structures the user’s experience. The building is conceived as an “inhabited ruin”, where spaces unfold through movement rather than rigid compartmentalisation, integrating water, architecture and circulation.

The central space is defined by a hypostyle hall composed of a regular system of robust pillars supporting exposed concrete vaults and beams. Water occupies the base of the structure, transforming the floor into a continuous reflective surface that amplifies the perception of space. Filtered and diffuse light accentuates material textures and reinforces an atmosphere of introspection and silence, where sensory experience is closely tied to notions of permanence and memory.