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HABITABLE SCULPTURAL MODULE MADE OF CORK ON DISPLAY IN GUIMARAES, PORTUGAL

Shelter designed by the Portuguese sculptor Gabriela Gomes is made from cork, courtesy of Corticeira Amorim.

Shelter by GG, a habitable module made of cork, was designed by Gabriela Gomes and is now displayed at Guimarães, the European Capital of Culture. Designed with cork from Corticeira Amorim - a partner in the project - this striking art object is installed on a public space and challenges the public to experience the sculpture and rest inside it.

The Shelter is going to be installed in the Platform of Arts in Guimarães for six months and may be booked by anyone who wants to do it. The two intersecting arches cover an area of 2.30 metres by 6.45 metres comprising an entrance hall and one double room with integrated WC.

In addition to the wood used in the Shelter structure, cork is one of the most striking materials of this sculptural module. Its interior is lined with Insulation Corkboard (reference: MD Facade) manufactured by Amorim Cork Insulation. This material acts as a thermal insulator and a sound absorber and is soft to the touch. Insulation Corkboard (reference: MD Facade) has been selected to be used in this project primarily due to its versatility and easy adaptation to the intended concept; the result is an innovative project, whose design is also leveraged by the use of cork.

The exterior facade of the Shelter is covered with CORKwall, an innovative product used as a finishing coat and for rehabilitation of exterior facades and roofs. This product manufactured by Amorim Cork Composites is applied by spraying it onto walls with any surface type. The main function of CORKwall is to provide acoustic and thermal insulation; in addition, it acts as an effective thermal barrier preventing heat loss and visible cracks at the surface.

A number of other elements that enhance the sustainability concept of the Shelter include 40 small solar panels that fit the curved lines of the module's structure allowing electrical energy to be produced by batteries connected to these solar panels as well as LED lighting technology.

This project is geared toward environmentally sustainable tourism. According to the words of the Portuguese designer Gabriela Gomes: "The Shelter will serve as a prototype and can be 'recycled' or re-adapted as required. It is a flexible project" that looks forward to developing marketing solutions for tourism projects, especially abroad. Gabriela Gomes seriously believes in the potential of the project and would like "to see it in New York City Center. The experience would be: Sleep in a square in New York. But I also imagine the Shelter in the Maldives, amidst surfers and amidst vast forests."