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C.S.: Then the second restaurant project has nothing to do with the swimming pools.

A.S.: It was much later that the need for a restaurant in that place came up.

They commissioned the project to me and I did a series of studies for a restaurant at an intermediate point, actually in a little Aaltoish style.

However, after a second visit to the site I realized that that was not a good choice to build and close the space. And then, there is another beach. So I decided to turn the restaurant around and place it diagonally towards the sea, and sit it solidly over some rocks because the sea in that area is quite rough.

The bar by the pool is placed the same way. Thus, the similar diagonal shows up once more aligned with the restaurant.

C.S.: All built in concrete.

A.S.: Yes, in concrete C.S.: Is the decision to choose the concrete as a material, in a way, a legacy from the engineer?

A.S.: Not really. The engineer Ferrão only made a project for a rectangular swimming pool vessel.

The decision on the concrete rests on its own. Indeed, there was a precedent, but for obvious reasons. The sea wave many a times travels all the way up to the road above. In that area the sea can be very rough, especially when there is a storm and it coincides with the Spring Tides.

Anything to be built there would have to be something very solid. It could not have any exterior lining, be it wood, or similar. Nothing could resist the force of the sea; therefore the choice of the concrete is almost a decision resulting from the presence of the sea itself.

In fact, a while later someone found a gap between the rocks and I was asked to design a service area for the staff, that is, the locker rooms for the private employees. I also designed them in concrete, including the inner divisions because I was afraid of the power of the sea. However, one day there was such a storm that the sea water got in through that hole with such a force that it destroyed everything completely, regardless the concrete walls. The sea there is tremendous. If it weren’t for the rocks to serve as protection, there would not be anything standing. The entire project is quite aware of that. The sea around the area destroys everything.

In addition, there was another project for the washrooms further down the area. However, they were never built. After the Mayor left the City Hall, no one was pretty interested in it. Nowadays, the pool is really in bad shape.