The Centro Cultural de Belém Foundation and the Alves Ribeiro Group formalised, on the 15 July 2025, the signing of the sub-concession agreement for the surface rights that will allow the construction and operation of Buildings 4 and 5. This is a major project that reinforces the vision of a complete and integrated CCB, fully committed to the city, to culture and to urban life.
The ceremony brought together representatives of the CCB Foundation, members of the jury of the international competition launched in October 2023 and the Board of the Alves Ribeiro Group, which won the procedure.
The contract, valid for 65 years, outlines the construction of a 4-star hotel (or higher), with 161 rooms, an aparthotel with 126 units and a commercial and services area, reaching a total construction surface of around 32,500 square metres. It is an operation that brings together heritage enhancement, economic dynamism and institutional sustainability.
Geological surveys and geotechnical studies will begin at the end of July. Demolition works, excavations and containment structures will start in early July 2026, with an estimated duration of one year. The opening of Buildings 4 and 5 is planned for July 2029.
Construction with responsibility and na urban vision
The project continues and develops the foundational layout conceived in the late 80’s by the architects Vittorio Gregotti and Manuel Salgado, authors of the original CCB master plan, which already included Buildings 4 and 5 alongside Buildings 1, 2 and 3, corresponding respectively to the Congress Centre, the Performing Arts Centre and the current MAC/CCB museum.
This expansion strengthens the CCB’s role as a place of cultural, social and economic convergence, deepening its presence within the urban fabric of Lisbon.
The revenue generated by the sub-concession will be directed towards cultural programming and towards strengthening the financial capacity of the CCB Foundation. It is also expected to create valuable commercial synergies that this project is likely to unlock.
The operation represents an investment in the improvement of public space and in the promotion of new ways of living and experiencing the city.
“A gesture of confidence in the future”
In his remarks after the signing of the contract, the President of the CCB Foundation, Nuno Vassallo e Silva, stated that “more than an urban development project, this is also an act of belief. A gesture of confidence in the future of Lisbon and Portugal. At a time when so many doubt, hesitate or hold back, we move forward. We invest. We believe. Because we know that the country has unique qualities, talent, sensitivity, history and an extraordinary ability to reinvent itself.”
The Chairman of the Board of the Alves Ribeiro Group, Nuno Pereira de Sousa, emphasised the strategic importance and the high urban and cultural value of this project, noting that “our proposal sought to respect the CCB’s identity and offer solutions that enhance the space, respond to contemporary challenges and create new experiences for all the audiences who gather here.”
Also present at the ceremony, the architect Manuel Salgado noted that “there must be few buildings with the high level of conservation seen at the CCB”, expressing his satisfaction that the Alves Ribeiro Group will be responsible for the construction of Buildings 4 and 5.
It should be recalled that the international competition was relaunched in October 2023, following the suspension of the previous process due to the pandemic context. The proposal presented by the Alves Ribeiro Group stood out for its technical solidity, landscape integration, functional sustainability and respect for the architectural identity of the CCB.
