Architecture / Cultural project

Architectural project developed through a pedagogical and practice-based process within the course Introduction to Decolonial Thinking in Architecture, offered by the Department of Architecture and Urbanism at Catholic University of Pernambuco, under the coordination of the architects and professors Dyego Digiandomenico and Lula Marcondes, member of O Norte.

The present intervention project proposes the renovation and expansion of the existing headquarters building of Afoxé Alafin Oyó — formerly a Military Police station — reconfiguring it into a two-story townhouse structure capable of fully accommodating the institution’s growing community-oriented activities and spatial demands.
The architectural proposal seeks to establish a balance between the contemporary spatial requirements associated with the Afoxé’s cultural and educational activities and the preservation of urban and historical memory. In this sense, the existing architectural complex — originally characterized by its closed and rigid configuration, resembling a fortified structure — has been replaced by a more open and urban townhouse typology, defined by its direct and intentional relationship with the street.
The scale of the new headquarters was conceived in direct reference to the historic residential buildings that still survive throughout the surrounding neighborhood and along the avenue despite processes of deterioration and abandonment. This more human-scaled solution preserves the dialogue with the city’s cultural landscape while enabling the structural and aesthetic adaptation of the new building to its site.
The reconfigured townhouse occupies only one-third of the plot, dedicating the remaining two-thirds to open-air spaces that include cultural use areas, landscaped green zones, and rear parking facilities.
In summary, the project constitutes an architectural response to the demands of the Afoxé community, transforming the headquarters into a contemporary and functional cultural facility that celebrates the ancestry of Afoxé Alafin Oyó while integrating itself into the historical, political, and cultural landscape of Olinda.

Design and Project Development
Catholic University of Pernambuco – UNICAP
Department of Architecture and Urbanism

Coordinating Professors:
Dyego Digiandomenico
Lula Marcondes

Participating Students:
Alexandra Carneiro, Alexandre Freire, Ana Luiza Santos, Ana Luíza Vinesof, Arthur Medeiros, Arthur Lucena, Bárbara Gomes, Camila Loiola, Cecília Veloso, Estela Sales, Gabriel Pessoa, Gabriela Macedo, Giovanna de Souza, Giovanna Sátiro, Gustavo Eugênio, José Mussi, Larissa Bezerra, Luísa Padilha, Maria Eduarda Guendler, Maria Fernanda Bomfim, Maria Luísa Monteiro, Maria Vitória Galdino
Mariana Pereira, Melissa Roque, Mirelle Magno, Paula Baratella, Rafael Andrade, Sarah Sabryna e Wesley Fortuna.

Year: 2025