A retaining wall in an ‘L’ shape defines and creates a flat football pitch on a steep slope. Miguel Marcelino architecture practice designed Laje Football Field in Oeiras, Portugal: a place of play where the boundaries between architecture, structure, and landscape are seamlessly intertwined.
The project for the Laje Football Field is, in short, a retaining wall.
A precise “L” shaped wall that defines and enables a flat football pitch on a steep slope, creating an arcade that gives access to the support facilities located underground.
The entrance is made by a ramp that cuts into the hill and gently descends to a covered atrium at pitch level, giving access to a continuous bench. There are no spectators in second row.
On the upper level, the new plateau offers an informal view of the field, functioning as a public viewpoint.
Built in reinforced concrete with iron oxide pigment incorporated into its composition, the retaining wall merges with the rocky outcrop, which also becomes a central element of the design.
This blurs the boundaries between architecture, structure, landscape, and the natural terrain itself.
Drawings
Model
Facts & Credits
Title Laje Football Field
Typology Architecture
Location Oeiras, Portugal
Status Completed, 2025
Architecture Miguel Marcelino
Collaborators Miguel Coutinho, João Neto, Martina Cappellini, Mariana Almeida
Structural Engineering Pedro Viegas
MEP Engineering Pensamento Sustentável
Fire Protection ETU
Landscape Design Paulo Palma
Photography © Archive Miguel Marcelino (photo by Lourenço T. Abreu)
Text by the authors
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