Chapel - Sintra National Palace
Assessment of the state of conservation and structural safety, together with the development of the structural strengthening design for the roof and the tribune of the Chapel of the Sintra National Palace. The work aimed to safeguard a heritage asset of outstanding historical value through the definition of compatible, targeted and low-impact structural solutions, fully respecting the existing fabric.
Concept & Challenge
The intervention focused on a building of exceptional heritage value, in which the chapel’s Mudéjar ceiling is structurally connected to the timber roof, decisively constraining the strategy for treatment and strengthening. The main challenge was to address the structural deficiencies of the roof and the tribune while ensuring the safety and stability of the whole, without compromising the integrity of the Mudéjar ceiling or the authenticity of the existing construction systems.
Approach & Methodology
The work was based on a rigorous structural survey, which enabled the identification of conservation issues, structural deficiencies and global deformations resulting from material ageing and previous interventions. On this basis, intervention solutions were defined in line with the historic nature of the building, guided by the principles of minimal intervention, compatibility and reversibility, and prioritising the use of traditional materials and techniques.
Solution & Results
The structural strengthening design included the selective replacement and reinforcement of timber roof elements to address the identified deficiencies, as well as localised strengthening measures to the tribune floors, allowing most of the existing structural elements to be reused. The proposed solutions also aimed to stabilise identified global deformations, ensuring the safety, durability and structural integrity of the building as a whole.
This project constituted a highly demanding heritage safeguarding intervention, founded on a rigorous diagnostic process and the definition of minimal, compatible structural solutions, ensuring the preservation of the constructive and historical identity of the Chapel of the Sintra National Palace.
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