Nirvana Studios

Basic information

Project Title

Nirvana Studios

Full project title

Nirvana Studios - Alternative cultural center

Project Description

In 2003 a nomad theater company called Custom Circus discovered an old army fort which was for sale. They were touring with their post apocaliptic convoy formed by 30 theatrical trucks, thus the ruined fort was a dream come true for them to settle the troupe and families. That dream came with a huge price, but they decided to risk everything they possessed to start this new adventure, creating the Nirvana Studios - a place that is credited to be the first portuguese alternative cultural center.

Geographical Scope

Local

Project Region

Oeiras, Portugal

Urban or rural issues

Mainly urban

Physical or other transformations

It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)

EU Programme or fund

Description of the project

Summary

The story behind this project arose from the need to create a safe alternative cultural haven for the portuguese more alternative cultural trends, yet ready to embrace every day’s present towards a more global and sustainable future. Based on a design simultaneously physical and psychological, not only for the artists, creatives, producers and technicians, but also for the public. Since its creation the project was set to forge a strong transdisciplinary community faithful to the ideals of peace, share, social balance, inclusion and respect for nature. While this path unfolded, its founders - Custom Circus - ended up to also generate 9 pioneering projects which enriched the portuguese landscape in fields like performing arts, music, literature, visual arts, cultural internships and Upcycling arquitecture, which is the trendsetter of Nirvana Studios itself. 20 years after buying this abandoned ruined fort, without any endorsement, they molded from scratch an innovative theater venue, indoor & outdoor art galleries, 100 rehearsal rooms, dozens of workshops, 4 film studios, a kids place, an Erasmus international hub, a residential bungalow’s area, and several co-working hangars. Formed by hundreds of collectives, this community as always been freely open to the public due to the fact that its members live and work in the premises in a full-time rhythm of activity. As the event’s calendar never stops, the daily management must go along with the tide of members and visitors. Nowadays this project olds recognition, not only from the top governamental cultural institutions, but also from other foreign platforms reputed for their churatorships: ERIH – European Route Of Industrial Heritage, Erasmus Programme, Innovate the World, etc. As it is already a community enriched by thousands of projects, experiences, shows, events and countless memories, extensive audiovisual and written material, plus references, are vastly available on the web.

Key objectives for sustainability

Regarding environmental sustainability this project was reborn from its former ashes through Upcycling architecture. Which means it recycled thousands of tones of obsolete materials, thus saving the equivalent in new materials, inviting the visitors to a deep reflection around compulsive consumerism. In terms of financial sustainability and future viability, the Nirvana Studios formula proved its selfsufficiency during its 20 years of existence. Meaning it has designed, since the begining, a scale economy where each member of the community contributes to the general costs of the daily opperation of the whole project. Furthermore, each collective or individual tries his best to buy or hire inside the community’s loop to ensure more local circulation. Mixed building, design and decorative methodologies were fused together, obtaining in each project neet results from traditional and modern solutions, with a distinctive distopic touch in the whole compound. This genuine approach bears the signature of the past as well as the future, since the project is always ready to embrace new and cleaner technologies. Local water ressources and management have been also a major concern, as well as enhancing the upcoming of an electric solar grid as soon as possible.

Key objectives for aesthetics and quality

A melting point of avant garde trends, distopic and dark wave subcultures, seen from the outside the large nostalgic and paradoxical art features of Nirvana Studios embrace the visitors. Like its main entry portico Raus Human, or the Loco’Motive perfomative instalation & stage, which have instantely become must see atractions in the county. The post-apocaliptic art collection that surrounds the place calls for inner reflection, such as the Custom Café Theater’s front, totally armoured by obsolete Zildjian cymbals, or the theatrical vintage trucks chrystalized in time, fused in the architectural structures. International platforms like GeoCash and Little Free Libraries, among others, made their way to be also part of this setting. Tribal totems, Cyberpunk sculptures, Indie installations, Steampunk contraptions and several pieces of Urban art, thusly enrich this huge and free outdoor gallery, which offers a unique tour to everyone interested. Another aspect that proved the eficiency of its concept and design was its polyvalent characteristics, idealized for a wide range of uses, from performative arts, to filming sets, among a panoply of other cultural areas, entertainment, leasure, sports and conceptual spheres. Plus, its wide use selection of natural elements, vintage artifacts and furniture, industrial archeological structures and old machinery, adds a touch of ironic poetry, while simoultaneously inspiring us to free ourselves from the daily status quo of cheer consumerism. According to the data, this venue is visited by a 3rd part of tourists. Pinpointing only it’s theater as an exemple, on an average of 200 spectators per show, in a list of a thousand shows already performed, it would add up a total audience of 200,000 people - which 66,000 were tourists. This must see it phenomenon is due to the fact that the place has genuinely consolidated a certain mystique.

Key objectives for inclusion

General fair prices for everyone had always been one the most important corner stone of this community, taking in account it was built around simplicity and humanity. Since the shows, events or activities of this project are provided to all kinds of audience, the inclusion lense goes as far as not forgeting the persons with disabilities. Thus the majority of the studios and parkings are acessible to wheelchairs and other support means like guide dogs. From the very begining Nirvana Studios has been a free visited place, open 24/7. Actractive to youngsters and seniors alike, due to its surprising indoors or outdoors scennery, it has been a recurent school activity, and also for universities and other accademic institutions. At the same level its social action agenda, brings its community to everyone, not forgeting the ones who by misfortune need na extra leverage of support in terms of logistics or even financials. This cultural center is always there for them too. Thus, the community’s volunteers may work non stop whenever it’s needed, providing its grounds, studios and support everytime a good cause is called for. The non traditional audience is already a normal thing per se, due to the high alternative pendant of the place, thus pulling people in, events, crafts and concepts whom normally wouldn’t have an easy way to be presented elsewhere. This freedom of choice from both creative agents and public, roots the very sharing phylosophy of the place, regardless creeds, origin or colors. Another positive result which has created an international link, comes from the fact that two of the three founders of Nirvana Studios have also been tutors since 2008, mentoring internships from courses related to arts and culture – Henceforth handing this very same inclusion torch to hundreds of students coming from dozens of countries.

Results in relation to category

The most striking outcome of this project is the fact that it has transformed an army zone, into a community entirely dedicated to arts, peace, culture, nature and a widespread message of brotherhood and cooperation between countries. So, if in the past its hangars were loaded with payloads of bombs and guns, nowadays its the turn for artists and all trends of creative people to be in charge of acting for a more peaceful world. Thus bombs gave way to musical instruments while military parades gave way to transdiciplinary shows. Yet, it somehow far exceeded that mission. Not only it has completed it’s purpose of harboring the nomad structure of its founders, but it also has created a huge artistic community focused in an international sharing ideology. On top of that, a considerable sum of portuguese firsts were added to the equation, mostly because such important projects didn’t exist, or were nearly impossible to implement elsewhere. So far, hundreds of multinational projects and entities have presented their concepts, messages, events and art in this compound, with a range that spreads far beyond culture alone - crossing concepts and platforms in the areas of sports, leisure, social action, international diplomacy, environment and ecology, education, tourism, history, industrial archeology, science, sustainable technologies, digital revolution, traditional commerce and handicraft, gastronomy, sociology and media. On the TV sphere it has constantly provided its studios, sets, and scenery for all portuguese channels, as well as some foreign ones in several contents, featuring hundreds of famous personalities also vauching for this project. Despite escaping its alternative aura from time to time, Nirvana Studios never ceased to evolve in accordance to its faithful ADN, transmiting therefore a sense of balance, unity and authenticity, without ever having lost the original legacy of the fort.

How Citizens benefit

The impact of Nirvana Studios ideology on the local job market, given the significant unemployment rate, has been a positive key factor since the establishment of this community. In this parameter, this place has acted as a crossroads meeting point, channeling hundreds of careers, and strongly catapulting citizens towards socially participative mentalities. As a free visited cultural center it has added richness to the local essence, mostly in human relationships, as well as cultural, sociological, ecological and historical terms. Notably, its source of inspiration has also sparked the imagination of its residents, public and visitors, via alternative forms of creativity and global communication. From its former status as an abandoned military ruin that endured between 1984 to 2003, presently at a national level Nirvana Studios is officially recognized as a space of Municipal Cultural Interest. Local tourist activities were boosted too, since internationally it is recognized by several cultural and tourist organizations, including ERIH - European Route Of Industrial Heritage, of which it has become an european anchor point. In addition to this factor, an interesting response from the academic sectors transformed Nirvana Studios in a desirable internships “factory”, at such point that the Erasmus Programme itself has its own resident place in the premises, under the name Erasmus Hub, working intensively with the MFR’s – French Mobilités and Maisons d’Europe plus other countries. While not operating pedagogically as a teaching institution, but rather in the empirical sense of training, adding value for those seeking the advantages of learning directly from professionals involved in the events, arts, showbusiness and entertainment sectors.

Physical or other transformations

It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)

Innovative character

The main goal of Nirvana Studios itself was against all mainstream odds. Yet, it somehow far exceeded that mission. Not only it has completed it’s parallel purpose of harboring the nomad structure of the Custom Circus theater troupe, but it also created a huge artistic community, culturary focused in an international transdisciplinary ideology. On top of that, a considerable sum of portuguese firsts were added to the equation, mostly because such important projects didn’t exist or were nearly impossible to implement elsewhere. Thus it was quickly acknowleged that one of the success factors of Nirvana Studios was precisely being conveniently far and sufficiently close to the city of Lisbon. When comparing the existing projects in Portugal by the time Nirvana Studios started to be created, there are at least 5 projects that did not existed before its appearance: 1) The alternative cultural center in itself. 2) The Band Boxes - macro community of musicians with 99 rehearsal rooms 24/7 crossed with a concert hall and a pre show big studio. 3) The Gallery STRANGE – a 360º black box in a 400m2 open space suitable for all kinds of visual art shows, including free acts involving fire, water, paint or other messy substances. 4) Custom Café Theater – a 360º performative venue equipped for transdisciplinary shows, allowing the entry in live mode of vehicles and other theatrical machinery, as well as the presentation of aerial acts above the audience. 5) Custom Ville - a residential bungalow strip for artists and tour technicians with TIR trucks, RV’s and tour buses parking lot.

Disciplines/knowledge reflected

Let´s just say that the final added value of this mission is the sum of a lot of impossibles. Based on the 4 development periods planned for the project and its grounds, dozens of qualified people have worked hand in hand to make this adventure come true. Art, culture, democracy, self respect and auto sustainability goals, conducted their hearts, while strength and resilience drove their hands - while walking a blueprint created through an hibryd fusion of Steampunk, Neo Tribal and Custom Culture architecture intertwined with Upcycling techniques. The starting point and its further steps were always marked by a shortage of money, which is still pretty much the prevalent background of this on going mission. Therefore, most of the know how at the helm of this project came from years of touring a complex convoy of cosmopolitan and transdisciplinary artists, where everybody in some way, possessed a good amount of imagination, a strong willing, a pioneering background and various technical qualities. Interaction has always been a key factor, vividly hoped and respected, as long as it fitted the concept. Due to the nomadic genesis of its founders, this cultural center was designed from tip to toe in order to keep the on the road heritage. Furthermore, when the rebuilding work started, the premises were in a very hazardous situation, which lead to several maneuvers well before heading towards the restauration steps. The advanced level of destruction showed a wrecked shadow of the fort’s former glory. Two decades of abandomnent permited succesive loote of equipment, structures, water pipes, electricity grids, among others. Which meant that it was not easy to start something from scratch – au contraire, it was first needed to prepare that discouraging setting.

Methodology used

Summarizing its democratic results leads us to realize that the extent of influence of this project spreaded far beyond expectation, since thousands of its inputs and outputs became available and active in a vastly growing perimeter beyond its artistic and creative milieu. Its Pop phenomenon’s side was strong enough to consolidate and propel its own community’s proximity to other foreign artists, producers, technicians and craftsmen from countries like: Angola, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cape Green, Canada, Cuba, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Italy, Mozambique, Spain, S. Tome and Principe, UK, and USA. While, in its cultural and historical estate, the most imprinted techniques and aesthetics in the whole project’s conception are rooted in the still very unknown Upcycling phylosophy. Back in 2003, in high contrast with the existing construction trends based in the use of massive concrete, this proactive ecological approach brought an hallmark of differentiation to Nirvana Studios - not only in a theoretical way, but above all in the empirical proven result of its projects. Thus far, a vast array of used materials and obsolete structures were privileged, recovered from scrapyards or industrial ruins, together with their ancestry’s knowledge and craftsmanship, which were inspiring to the project’s continuity. As so, from XL containers, to old vehicles, beams, naval or aeronautical debris, plus natural materials from former furnitures, several oldschool skills were deploied. Even if ephemeral in specific cases, the architectural scenery of Nirvana Studios has the utmost desire to blend with the landscape and the past itself, although turned towards the future, yet with a realistic foot in the present.

How stakeholders are engaged

Instead of a few influential stakeholders, Nirvana Studios aimed to a wide array of partnerships, at shorter or longer term. Thus so far, hundreds of multinational projects and entities have presented their concepts, messages, events and art in this cultural center, with a range that spreads far beyond culture alone. Crossing concepts and platforms in the areas of sports, leisure, social action, international diplomacy, environment and ecology, education, tourism, history, industrial archeology, science, sustainable technologies, digital revolution, traditional commerce and handicraft, gastronomy, sociology and media. On the TV sphere it has constantly provided its studios, sets, and scenery for all portuguese channels as well as some foreign ones in a vast array of programs, featuring hundreds of famous personalities also vauching for this project and mission. The fact that hundreds of multinacional institutions and corporates have chosen Nirvana Studios to stage their official events, shows how far this community has reached in the international level. In this same parameter of global exchange, even some complex foreign initiatives harbored by the local municipalities are also programmed in its quarters several times a year. This matrix doesn't focus solely on huge partners or clients across borders, but also embraces smaller independent crossings from other countries as well. Another strong factor reforcing the Nirvana Studios European link, is proved by the residence of the Erasmus Hub itself, bringing youth, mentors and teatchers from the 4 corners of Europe. Adicionaly, the Palops axis (portuguese spoken countries) also operates in a constant basis in this project, namely Brazil, Mozambique, Angola, Macau, Goa, Cape Green, Guiné Bissau and St. Tomé & Principe.

Global challenges

In the Lisbon music scene Nirvana Studios emerged like a Noah’s ark, since musicians were struggling with the scarce and pricey rehearsal rooms available, avoided due to their tight rules and schedules. Aware of that problem the Custom Circus focused on creating affordable 24/7 spaces for the members of their community. This effort sprung the innovative platform called Band Boxes, which is the most active portuguese musicians hub, hosting around 300 bands. On the visual arts scope Nirvana Studios gained a solid status. Not only from the region’s artists, but also from several others far beyond its axis, because of its capacity to harbor the more misfits of them, which had dificulties to find workshops or exhibit. On the theater sphere, something similar happened. Thus converting one of the fort’s depot into their resident venue, the founders ended up creating a one of the kind multipurpose performative hall, with a capacity of 300 seated audience or 500 circulating – enhabling pyrotechnics, water jets, 360º acting, and all sorts of surprising numbers above the audience. Such ideology didn’t existed at the time the Custom Café Theater oppened in 2012. Beyond its own alternative cultural concept itself, another set of firsts emerged from the necessity of solving the inexistence of projects in need to hatch. So, in order to enable them, new projects were added gaving way to a bungalow residential area called Custom Ville, to a large structure of old army containers customised as micro studios, a forest track for biking and hiking, a vintage diner, the UR project and the Steampunk Ateliers: 2 upcycling architectural facilities for eco-sustainable collectives linked to adventure sports, nature and artisanship.

Learning transferred to other parties

In practice the main projects of this cultural center may be replicated anywhere else under the right circumstances. Under the genetic code of Nirvana Studios it may be stressed that thousands of creative minds have generated contents in their enviromnent and furtherly in their social media, proudly revealing the origin of their ideas. The three born generations of this community soon started to realize the extent of influence this place has put on them. Simoultaneously Nirvana Studios exists on several other levels outside its physical reality, since it was designed from the Custom Circus imaginary where it continues to live far beyond the place itself. Hence on almost every production of this troupe, from theater, music, visual arts or literature, it’s an important setting. It’s also the main setting of the “Colecção Paradoxal - Padoxical Collection” which is the 1st portuguese museological project to exhibit resident pieces from a speculative future, which are present in important museums like “Museu dos Coches de Lisboa – Lisbon Coach Museum” or the “Museu Nacional Ferroviário – National Railroad Museum”, which are among the most internationaly visited museums. The artistic intersections of Nirvana Studios with other projects were so numerous that it was somewhat necessary to keep them in record, at least the more important and influencial ones. Thus the “Wall Of Fame” instalation was born (www.nirvanastudios.com/walloffame) – a tribute gallery that evolves progressively, year after year, granting an aluminum riveted star for the ones who helped to project abroad the community’s values and concepts in a visible way, mostly the mediatic ones.