Wood construction stands out in the renovation of the Luís de Camões University Residences in Coimbra

The project, led by the University of Coimbra, involves the rehabilitation of the former ISCAC building, which had been in a state of abandonment, to make way for a new university residence with 156 beds, distributed across three buildings.

CarmoForm and PORTILAME, companies specializing in engineering and industrialized timber construction, announce another landmark project in the field of sustainable construction in Portugal: the rehabilitation of the building that will host the Luís de Camões University Residence, located in the historic center of Coimbra.

The project, developed by the University of Coimbra, foresees the renovation of the former ISCAC building, previously abandoned, to create a new university residence with 156 beds across three buildings.

“The shortage of accommodation in university cities requires fast and structurally different responses. Industrialized timber construction is once again proving itself—here as in tourism and housing—as a strategic solution, capable of accelerating timelines, reducing impact in urban environments, and ensuring high levels of comfort, efficiency, and environmental performance. It is a mature, tested technology, fully aligned with the real challenges faced by cities and higher education in Portugal,” says João Figueiredo, CEO of CarmoForm.

David Simão, CEO of PORTILAME, highlights the contribution of industrialization in addressing accommodation needs in urban and academic contexts: “Given the pressure on student housing, timber industrialization enables fast, precise, and predictable responses. In a challenge that affects the entire construction sector—ensuring deadlines and quality of execution—this technology brings greater control and less risk, especially in consolidated urban environments. However, it is important that it receives proper recognition to scale up and increase project volume, as only then will it be possible to achieve even more affordable costs without compromising comfort, efficiency, and environmental performance.”

With completion scheduled for March 2026, the main contract is being handled by A. Baptista de Almeida (ABA), which once again selected CarmoForm for another nationally significant project. CarmoForm joins forces with PORTILAME under a strategic partnership that brings the two companies together in the construction of multi-storey timber buildings.

The work by CarmoForm and PORTILAME includes the construction of structures in CLT (Cross Laminated Timber) made from spruce, used in floors and both external and internal walls, with part of the wood remaining visible inside, also serving as an architectural element. In total, approximately 627 m³ of CLT will be used, distributed across four blocks, each with four floors, arranged along the perimeter of the existing building.

Only the exterior walls of the old building will be preserved, creating an internal core that will give rise to an open-air courtyard, enhancing natural lighting, ventilation, and the use of shared spaces.

According to the University of Coimbra, the future Luís de Camões University Residence aims to strengthen the supply of affordable higher education accommodation, implement a residence concept based on flexibility and adaptability of spaces, and promote high standards of sustainability and energy efficiency.