prepared in a very short period (1989–1992). The client of the project was the Portuguese State through the secretary of state for culture. Completed in 1992, it occupies a total of 100,000 m2 and is the work of architects Vittorio Gregotti and Manuel Salgado; the interior design was planned by Daciano Costa. The centre's position, aligned with the Jerónimos Monastery, intentionally fronts the Império Square, and consists of structural blocks with courtyards and "patio-squares" that interconnect the three principal structures. Each centre is separated by transversal "streets", that link the building's interiors which are extensions of the city of Lisbon's historical urban structure. The centrality of the main building extends the urban fabric to the interior creating a public space. This architectural style can best be interpreted by Santana and Matos (2010) who refer to as the "patios-squares" versus the "narrow streets" a conflicting dynamic structure. The Belém Cultural Centre won the International Stone Architecture Award at the Verona Fair in 1993. Facilities The centre features several areas with different roles: The Conference Centre, provides a close link with the most varied business and professional sectors; conceived in order to support conferences and meetings, as well as the cultural center's operational services, stores, a restaurant, two bars, parking areas and the Jacques Delors European Information Centre; The Performing Arts Centre, the core of the site's cultural and artistic activities, it includes two auditoriums (the larger holding 1,429 seats and the smaller with 348 seats), rehearsal hall with 72 seats, in order to support film, opera, ballet, theatre and music events; and The Exhibition Centre, which includes four galleries for exhibitions of modern art, architecture, design and photography, in addition to cafés and shops; since June 2007, it has been the venue for the Foundation of Modern and Contemporary Art (the Berardo Museum Collection). The centre also provides additional services: The Educational Service provides a close link between the Foundation and schools of various levels as well as other institutions; and The Training Service is a service of the Belém Cultural Centre Foundation; courses, seminars and Conferences are directed towards teaching and learning, as well as the acquisition of further knowledge, skills and specialisation in the different areas of the arts, and culture. See also List of concert halls References Notes Sources External links Cultural centers Event venues in Portugal Buildings and structures in Lisbon Belém (Lisbon) Culture in Lisbon Convention