Faro túmulo or “light of the tomb” is the occupation of a ruin in the Miragaia neighbourhood in Porto. The project is a manifesto against the phenomenon of the urban sprawl and the decline of historic architecture faced by the city. In order to take this issue in hand, the imagery of the lighthouse has been used symbolically and formally, like a beacon, a landmark. This goes hand in hand with the status of ruin: a non-place, an outer place, a free space, which is part of the landscape while also becoming invisible.The stacking programme includes: the water fountain on the ground floor, a wash house and the accommodation of the guard, the solitary patriot. The lamp stands at 50 m high. The project is indissociable from notions of duty and responsibility.
