The Supermarket Reborn and Integrated into the Urban Fabric of Cascais
The Auchan Bayview project in Cascais combines architecture, landscape, and sustainability, standing out for its harmonious integration into the terrain and the use of Leca® solutions that enhance the project’s efficiency and environmental performance.
Located on the eastern edge of Cascais, at the entrance to the town, the Auchan Bayview development forms part of the broader Bayview urban regeneration plan, covering an area of around 50,000 m². The central concept behind this intervention was clear from the outset: to integrate the new structure into its surroundings, minimising the usual visual and environmental impact of projects of this scale.
The arrangement of the building volumes follows the site’s natural topography, giving the construction a “submerged” appearance, almost blending into the landscape. The structure was set back from Avenida Marginal, creating space for a large pedestrian square framed by greenery that extends up to the rooftop gardens. These rooftop gardens are more than decorative—they serve as true communal areas, shaped like an amphitheatre, offering panoramic views over the urban landscape.
FACTS
Client: GRAND BAY RESIDENCES – SICAFI, SA / AUCHAN RETAIL PORTUGAL
Architecture: Fragmentos
Landscape Architecture: Francisco Caldeira Cabral and Elsa Severino
Main Contractor: Teixeira Duarte, Engenharia e Construções SA
Leca® Solutions: Drainage layer in the green roof | Leca® lightweight concrete in floor fillings
Application of Leca® Solutions for Sustainable Construction
The car park and loading/unloading zones were placed underground, freeing the ground level for pedestrian use and improving access. Above ground, the building extends over three floors housing retail and service areas. Natural light fills these spaces through wide windows and skylights. On the upper level lies the Food Court, with a glazed south-facing façade and terraces overlooking the Bay of Cascais. This configuration reinterprets the atmosphere of traditional street commerce—a type of retail that opens outward and connects with its surroundings, rather than closing in on itself.
One of the greatest challenges of this project was to keep the hypermarket in full operation throughout all phases of demolition and reconstruction. Even as parts of the old structure were dismantled, customer access and service continued uninterrupted, thanks to meticulously planned logistics ensuring continuous activity.
Two Leca® solutions were implemented in this project, reinforcing its sustainable and efficient character.
Leca® lightweight aggregates were used in the drainage layer of the green roofs, ensuring effective water runoff while retaining moisture that is gradually released back into the substrate, keeping it humid for longer and optimising maintenance. This drainage layer also provides additional thermal insulation to the building’s roof.
Leca® lightweight concrete was applied in the floor fillings of the building and surrounding leisure areas, offering a stable, durable solution that is quick to apply and dry, with a significant reduction in load.
As highlighted by Engineer Miguel Rogeiro from Teixeira Duarte, Engenharia e Construções SA, “it is a very practical and effective solution that ensures high productivity, combining ease of planning with fast execution.”
The Auchan Bayview / Bayview project stands as a benchmark of how contemporary architecture, urban regeneration, and sustainable solutions can coexist and enhance the built environment.
Two Leca® solutions were implemented in this project, reinforcing its sustainable and efficient character.
Leca® lightweight aggregates were used in the drainage layer of the green roofs, ensuring effective water runoff while retaining moisture that is gradually released back into the substrate, keeping it humid for longer and optimising maintenance. This drainage layer also provides additional thermal insulation to the building’s roof.
Leca® lightweight concrete was applied in the floor fillings of the building and surrounding leisure areas, offering a stable, durable solution that is quick to apply and dry, with a significant reduction in load.
As highlighted by Engineer Miguel Rogeiro from Teixeira Duarte, Engenharia e Construções SA, “it is a very practical and effective solution that ensures high productivity, combining ease of planning with fast execution.”
The Auchan Bayview / Bayview project stands as a benchmark of how contemporary architecture, urban regeneration, and sustainable solutions can coexist and enhance the built environment.
