PORTUGAL MODERN

1975 - 1979

Rua Azevedo Coutinho, 4100-020 Porto

Agostinho Ricca’s Igreja do Foco / Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Boavista showcasing a concrete façade with large windows, integrated within a mixed-use urban design featuring residential apartments and commercial buildings. Photo by Ben
Agostinho Ricca’s Igreja do Foco / Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Boavista showcasing a concrete façade with large windows, integrated within a mixed-use urban design featuring residential apartments and commercial buildings. Agostinho Ricca’s Igreja do Foco / Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Boavista showcasing a concrete structure with composite material walls, balconies, and daylighting elements surrounding a central courtyard. Agostinho Ricca’s Igreja do Foco / Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Boavista showcasing a modern façade with clean lines, balcony elements, and a combination of siding materials in a residential area setting. Agostinho Ricca’s Igreja do Foco / Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Boavista showcasing a modern design with concrete and composite material walls, stained hardwood accents, large windows allowing daylighting, and interior houseplants in flowerpots. Agostinho Ricca’s Igreja do Foco / Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Boavista showcasing a modern concrete structure with composite material walls, balconies, and urban residential design elements. Agostinho Ricca’s Igreja do Foco / Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Boavista showcasing a brutalist architecture with exposed concrete and brickwork walls, composite materials, and strategic daylighting elements. Agostinho Ricca’s Igreja do Foco / Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Boavista showcasing a modern concrete structure with composite materials, featuring balconies and a driveway within a residential urban design. Agostinho Ricca’s Igreja do Foco / Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Boavista showcasing brutalist architecture with exposed concrete walls, composite materials, and strategic daylighting through cement structural elements. Agostinho Ricca’s Igreja do Foco / Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Boavista showcasing a concrete structure with composite material walls, a shaded entrance door, and modern flooring elements. Agostinho Ricca’s Igreja do Foco / Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Boavista showcasing brutalist architecture with a concrete façade and bold geometric forms characteristic of corporate headquarters design. Agostinho Ricca’s Igreja do Foco / Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Boavista showcasing a modern design with grey concrete walls, wooden plank flooring, and composite materials creating a minimalist interior. Agostinho Ricca’s Igreja do Foco / Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Boavista showcasing a modern design with prominent wood plank flooring, brown hardwood finishes, and concrete structural elements. Agostinho Ricca’s Igreja do Foco / Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Boavista showcasing a modern design with exposed concrete beams, wood-stained composite materials, and strategic daylighting under a shaded overpass structure. Agostinho Ricca’s Igreja do Foco / Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Boavista showcasing a modern façade with composite materials, concrete structural elements, and extensive glass panels allowing natural daylighting. Agostinho Ricca’s Igreja do Foco / Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Boavista showcasing a brutalist architecture with composite material walls and a prominent cross structure. Agostinho Ricca’s Igreja do Foco / Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Boavista showcasing brutalist architecture with exposed concrete surfaces and angular geometric forms, adjacent to a subcompact hot hatch car. Agostinho Ricca’s Igreja do Foco / Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Boavista showcasing a brutalist concrete structure with composite material elements and a distinctive angular façade. Agostinho Ricca’s Igreja do Foco / Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Boavista showcasing a modern church design with a prominent glass façade, angular rooflines, and integrated parking lot featuring various vehicles including mid-size and compact cars.
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Designed by architect Agostinho Ricca and completed in 1981, the Igreja do Foco—officially known as Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Boavista—is a striking example of modernist religious architecture in Porto. Built between 1975 and 1979 as part of the larger Parque Residencial da Boavista, the church exemplifies Ricca’s commitment to minimalist design, exposed concrete surfaces, and the thoughtful use of natural light.

Inside, the space is marked by a serene atmosphere, with light subtly illuminating the presbytery. The church also houses artworks by renowned Portuguese artist Júlio Resende, including stained glass windows, a Via Sacra, and a powerful depiction of Christ. In 2024, the Instituto Público Património Cultural proposed the church for classification as a Monument of Public Interest, recognizing its cultural and architectural value.

Igreja do Foco stands today as a rare fusion of spirituality and modernist clarity—an architectural landmark in Porto’s urban landscape.

Publications on Igreja do Foco / Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Boavista by Agostinho Ricca

Guia de Arquitectura Norte e Centro de Portugal , ISBN: 9789727883479 Book