In the heart of Porto in Portugal’s largest university campus, the Hoso Tower emerges as a creative solution to the city’s fragmented urban landscape. Designed by Portuguese studio OODA Architecture, this cylindrical structure spanning 9,350 sqm of concrete fills a void created by the disjointed infrastructure of Porto’s inner belt motorway. Its innovative design, rooted in the principles of radical rationalism, prioritises optimisation, flexibility and spatial efficiency, redefining student accommodation.

The residential building’s form transitions from a square foundation to a circular section, seamlessly integrating into its surroundings while establishing a distinct identity. Its cylindrical shape minimises circulation space and maximises usable area, ensuring that each floor offers an open and versatile layout. This approach enhances spatial efficiency, with its infrastructure neatly contained in the core, the perimeter is dedicated entirely to living spaces. Each room enjoys direct access to natural light and sweeping views, while the balconies encircling the tower act as transitional zones that expand the perception of interior space.

The student housing project stands as a testament to the pragmatic use of prefabricated construction methods. Every element of the concrete architecture was manufactured off-site and assembled on-site, reducing construction time by 30 per cent and costs by 20 per cent. Each floor was completed within a week, demonstrating the efficiency of this approach. The stacked components minimised transportation needs, reducing waste and the project’s carbon footprint. This method ensured consistent quality while aligning with sustainability goals.

Beyond its technical advantages, the prefabricated architecture also supports the building’s LEED Silver certification. Measures such as using locally sourced sustainable materials, including Portuguese taps, melamine and frames, along with the modular design further bolstered the project’s sustainability credentials. As architect Julião Pinto Leite explained in the press release, “Prefabrication made sense within the sustainability assumptions. All the pieces were designed to stack efficiently, reducing transport and supporting a circular economy.”

The adoption of prefabrication is not merely a construction choice but a reflection of a growing trend in architecture. It demonstrates how industrial techniques can coexist with design innovation, offering new opportunities for balancing cost efficiency and environmental stewardship. By embracing these principles, the hospitality architecture project showcases how student accommodation can be reimagined to meet the challenges of contemporary urban living.

At the core of the residential design is a thoughtful balance between aesthetic and functional considerations. The façade, composed of vertical and horizontal elements, serves as more than a visual feature. It provides essential acoustic insulation against the noise of nearby motorways, a critical aspect given the site’s proximity to major traffic arteries. It also incorporates a solar filtering system, mitigating heat gain while allowing natural light to permeate the interiors.

The balconies that wrap around each floor serve a dual purpose. They extend the living space, creating an illusion of larger rooms and function as privacy buffers for the residents. The interplay of light and shadow across these elements gives the building a dynamic appearance, capturing the passage of time while maintaining a consistent architectural rhythm. This design choice underscores the building’s adaptability to its design context and the needs of its occupants.

Collective spaces anchor the urban architecture project, fostering interaction and community among its residents. The ground floor and top levels are dedicated to shared amenities, including lounges and panoramic viewing areas. These spaces serve as hubs for social and academic activities, reflecting the building’s role as more than just a residence. By integrating collective uses into its design, it encourages collaboration, community engagement and a sense of belonging within its students.

In an era where urban living can often feel isolating, the project challenges this narrative by creating opportunities for interaction. These spaces are not just functional additions but integral components of the building’s identity, fostering a culture of connectivity.

The tower’s location further enhances its connectivity. Situated between orthogonal volumes and close to Boavista, it offers easy access to Porto’s main transport routes. This strategic positioning reinforces the project’s functionality as a student residence while addressing the challenges of its environment. By bridging the gap between disparate scales and forms, the Hoso Tower becomes a unifying and defining presence in the cityscape.

OODA Architecture’s approach to the Hoso Tower reflects a broader trend in urban design that emphasises flexibility, efficiency and sustainability. By adopting prefabricated construction and integrating active and passive environmental strategies, the project aligns with contemporary goals of reducing environmental impact and enhancing quality of life. The focus on modularity and local sourcing also highlights the potential for architecture to support regional economies and sustainable practices.

The project’s emphasis on adaptability extends beyond its construction techniques. The modularity allows for future modifications, ensuring that the building can evolve with the changing needs of its occupants. This foresight positions it as a prototype for resilience in architecture, capable of withstanding both environmental and societal shifts.

As the building becomes part of Porto’s architectural narrative, it exemplifies how thoughtful design can transform urban voids into vibrant spaces. The tower’s success lies in its ability to balance rationality with creativity, creating a residence that meets practical needs while offering an engaging and adaptable living environment. Its cylindrical form, functional innovations and integration with the landscape collectively embody the principles of radical rationalism, setting a benchmark for future developments.

The tower design emerged from a deliberate optimisation process. After extensive testing, the architects discovered that a circular structure minimised circulation space while maximising saleable area enabling the addition of at least one more room per floor. This approach also enhanced flexibility, with uniform room layouts simplifying prefabrication while leaving the rest of the floor as open space. “The cylindrical volume gave the building a certain iconicity that allowed it to stand out from the competition, offering features such as 360-degree views and balconies for all rooms,” shared the architects in an official statement. This clarity of purpose and execution ensures the Hoso Tower’s place as a landmark of progressive design in Porto.

The transition from a square to a circular form represents a negotiation between the rigid geometry of the city grid and the organic flow of human movement. This gesture creates a dialogue with its context, bridging the gap between traditional forms and modernist ambitions.

The Hoso Tower challenges conventional notions of student housing, pushing the boundaries of what such spaces can achieve. By integrating sustainability, community and design innovation, it sets a new benchmark for how architecture can respond to the complexities of urban living. The building’s success lies in its ability to address practical needs while sparking imagination, offering a glimpse into the future of urban design.