Valley Stage
DESCRIPTION
Set deep among the rolling cork oak hills near Évora, Portugal, The Valley stage wasn’t built—it was coaxed from the landscape, as if it had always been waiting there. At its heart stands an ancient cork oak, strong and silent, its roots sprawling beneath the earth. The brief was simple but profound: protect the tree, honour the land, and create a space for music, art, and community without taking too much.
The structure rises gently from the ground, a sweeping reciprocal roof spanning 9 metres—gracefully, effortlessly—with no central columns to disturb the tree’s fragile roots. This wasn’t about control; it was about respect. Interlocking wooden beams twist and curve in a silent dance, holding each other in balance, forming a pattern as organic as the branches above. It shelters the space while framing the sky, inviting the wind, and letting the tree breathe.
Working with the land, not against it, was at the core of every decision. Building The Valley wasn’t about speed or efficiency, yet it came together in just over a month—a testament to the passion and care poured into every joint and beam. The structure grew layer by layer, as hands shaped and reshaped it, ensuring nothing felt forced.
Now, it stands at the centre of ‘Beginnings,’ a sustainable music festival that merges nature, art, and sound. Under the wide wooden canopy, music drifts upward, blending with the rustle of leaves. The stage isn’t a traditional stage—it’s a meeting place, where people gather not only to listen but to feel: the land beneath their feet, the cool shade of the cork oak, the light filtering through the beams.
The Valley doesn’t shout for attention. It whispers. It holds space without overtaking it. The cork oak—the real star—continues to stretch skyward, its roots untouched, its branches unconfined. Nature and architecture, not as opposing forces, but as collaborators.
Small details reveal themselves: light pooling in corners at sunset, the subtle tension in the beams, the soft creak of wood as the day cools. It’s alive, breathing with the rhythm of the land.
The Valley is more than a stage. It’s a story of balance—between art and nature, structure and freedom. A place that honours the land, the tree, and the people who gather beneath its branches, where nature isn’t an afterthought—it’s the heart of it all.
DETAILS
Project: Valley Stage
Year: 2023
Location: Evora, Portugal
Client: Beginnings Festival
Architect: studio MAX
Collaborators: Daniela Figueiredo, Max Théréné
Construction: Si Lakos & Beginnings Festival's team
Wood Supplier: Evoracor
DRAWINGS
Photos by Si Lakos
Photos by Si Lakos
