Above: National Pantheon, Lisbon, Portugal Study Visit Sept 2023
The Church of Santa Engrácia by João Antunes is a 17th-Century monument, originally a Church, it was converted into the National Pantheon, in which important Portuguese personalities are buried. It is said that this would be Cristiano Ronaldo's final resting place.
An ingenious design was prepared by the Architect, never before attempted in Portugal. The Church has a centralised floor plan, with a Greek cross shape. On each corner there is a square tower (the pinnacles were never completed), and the façades are undulated like in the baroque designs of Borromini.
As we train each day, there are those that can control the mind, body, the soul and the spirit just by the power of thought. The idea of perfection lies within the training of the soul and the spirit of a new era... Stars can be born out of necessity or they can be made from the foundation up, and as world renowned international Architect Daniel Libeskind once said
"Why have a golden roof, when the foundations are rotten?"
Well where I am going there is no rot, no neglect, just pure heroism. Maybe a 5th European golden foot may come along my way.
"To have this, you must have this" are the words of Ronaldo in his individual work out drills"
Maybe it was Leonardo Da Vinci's, Vitruvian man that can be compared to Ronaldo, in both lean and muscular body weight, I feel that the composition is the same.
Comparison in design terms is important as without comparing the macro to the micro one is not focusing the energy of the soul nor on the creation of nature, ones perfect day begins with the mindset of not just motivation but by the act of doing.
"Our buildings have that energy, we have that energy and passion for design beyond the planning zone",
....no matter how many planning policies come our way, I don't mind reading them all, as this is also a test of endurance, similar to running on a football pitch, similar to passing a ball to our team player, similar to contacting the right department at the Council, and asking the right question to the right person, they all I believe require the communication device that we speak in, and once this is done a huge ton of unnecessary specialist fees can be saved for our client.
So let us put on our gear each day, clean our shoes and desks, no matter what shape or form they are in and organise the spirit of our day, just like a European City.