Inspired by the themes of the Last Light Competition, Dune Architects developed a conceptual exploration of the contemporary lighthouse as an immersive architectural experience.
Located at Cabo de São Vicente, historically known as Finis Terrae or “the end of the known world”, the project responds to the site’s dramatic cliffs, Atlantic winds and expansive ocean views.
The stone observation tower draws inspiration from the form and materiality of the original lighthouse, emerging from the landscape as if carved directly from the cliff itself. The lower levels are conceived as spaces hollowed from the thick stone mass, with stairs seamlessly integrated into the carved interior of the tower. As the journey progresses, carefully framed openings reveal increasingly expansive views of the Atlantic.
Higher within the tower, a kinetic façade of moving tiles reacts to the wind, constantly shifting the openings and creating changing framed views of the Atlantic. The spatial experience evolves continuously, shaped by climate, movement and time. At the top, visitors arrive within the beacon and panoramic viewing terrace overlooking the coastline.
The project explores architecture as a sensory experience deeply connected to landscape, weather and movement.