Evora University

I often visit other university campuses, and Evora university was my target the other day. It is a smallish institution spread across town and the surrounding countryside, but the main core I'm reporting on now was particularly eye-catching. Many university buildings around the world are dreary, ugly, and often almost dysfunctional, but Evora's were wildly different as the pictures show.

In essence, the main campus is a recycled convent! But the quality of design and finish is very good, though I guess that many of the offices are converted cells that used to be occupied by inhabited (excuse the pun) by nuns, and would not be spacious. The prominent features in the pictures below are the gorgeous wall decorations - frescoes and the blue tiles that are common all over the Alentejo region. Many buildings had elaborate stone ornamentation, and even some ceilings were subtly decorated. I also liked the vaulted ceilings of many corridors, and the intrusion of modern art in some places. Other parts had shady cloisters.

I found the whole assemblage refreshing and attractive. Perhaps we should find some way of re-educating today's architects. Now, what was it that Ivan the Terrible did to the designer of St Basil's in Red Square?

AS