The Arto Carpus Castelo Foundation, based in Finland, is applying to create a centre for scientific research in place of its tourism development at Benémola near Querença, Loulé.
This alternative investment of €10 million is a dramatic turn away from the standard ‘spa, golf course, hotel, villas and apartments’ model of tourism development. Many such large schemes have the blessing of short-sighted local councils but have yet to be started as the crisis has given pause to both project funding and the will to build more ‘me too’ projects.
Fernando Pessoa, the architect responsible for the project, said the complex designed for the foundation incorporates a research center with laboratories and workrooms, a cultural section with local arts and crafts studios, and a non- tourist accommodation area to house researchers.
Pessoa explained that the many of the buildings will be set into the slope of the land with part of the structure below ground level, with green roofs. In the main research area no vehicles will be allowed.
The goal is to cause the "least possible impact on the landscape and the environment," noted Pessoa, adding that renewable energy will be used throughout the complex and that this will be a "very quiet" place with a tower dedicated to meditation.
Fernando Pessoa explained that the centre will host researchers interested in studying environmental protection and conservation, with a focus on the ‘barrocal’ area of the Algarve and its ecosystem, and wider Mediterranean ecosystems.
The owner of the development, Arto Takala, was awaiting council approval for a large and controversial countryside tourist development but the visionary Finn decided to change the project and apply for a non-for-profit research centre instead.
The ecological and environmental lobby has long been on the case regaridng the impact the original development would have had on the Benémola area so this volte face may be a way of building something viable rather than continuing endless battles with environmentalists.
The study of indigenous Algarvian flora and traditional agricultural plants and fruit trees of the area near the center is one of the projects that the foundation is keen on.
"There have been informal discussions with scientific and academic bodies, but these will not be announced until after the project is approved," explained Fernando Pessoa, who expects the approval process to be completed within three to four months.
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