it's an octopus. at least that's how they refer to this building when you have a tour. it makes sense once you start to explore the building. the idea was that the cruise building is tightly connected with the seaside and allows the passengers, visitors and all other services to access different areas easily. the (ground) entrance takes you directly to the 'octopus head' where you can enjoy the beautiful play of light on a sunny day. the whole space is built around a spiral staircase which leads you to different levels and 'arms' of the building. while passing through the levels you can see lots of laboratories which contribute to oceans research and sustainability projects, waiting room for the future cruise passengers, lobby for anyone waiting as well as a big open rooftop presenting the porto seaside. i loved the esthetics and the polite nudges to the sealife when it comes to details like a fire extinguisher or certain fishlike looking wall curves. overall the building facade relates to the portuguese tradition and is covered in husk tiles, which gives much more than one shade of white!
