Visiting Gasômetro
The Gasômetro, or the gasometer factory, is a former electrical power plant in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Contrary to what its name implies, the plant ran on coal rather than gas. Its name actually comes from the city's former gas tanks that once sat right next door. The facility provided electricity to Porto Alegre from 1928 to 1974.
A factory reborn as a cultural center
The plant struggled during the 1973 oil crisis and officially shuttered in 1974. When demolition seemed likely, local residents mobilized to save the building as a monument to the city's labor history. Following these protests, the site was preserved and eventually designated as a historical and cultural landmark by the Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (State of Rio Grande do Sul) in 1983.
The building retains its original character, anchored by a massive 117-meter chimney. This stack was added in 1937 to solve local soot pollution issues. Today, the site holds a prime spot in the city along the banks of the Guaíba Lake, which is a popular local spot for watching the sunset.
A massive cultural hub in Porto Alegre
Ultimately, despite the efforts of labor activists to keep the space strictly as a memorial, the site was converted into a six-story cultural center. It now houses an art gallery, a 118-seat cinema, a theater, various seminar and conference rooms, and artist residency spaces. A panoramic restaurant sits on the upper levels, and the outdoor terraces offer views of the city, the river, and the surrounding area.
It was pretty cool! I went for the Star Wars convention in November 2017! Lots of space inside!