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Tag: Contemporary

Published on Leave a comment on Chapel in Ciudad Real by Sancho-Madridejos

The idea of situating and relating a series of objects in the landscape of Almadén, in Ciudad Real (Spain): Dwelling, Chapel, Hunting pavilion and Guard´s residence, gave the project a dual significance: in addition to the close relationship between landscape, objects and itinerary -between space and objects-, each item had to provide a different response with different emphasis, from the most symbolic to the most silent or private. The unifying thread was to be the concept of the fold: the fold as a hidden generator of different spaces.

Chapel1 e1405350656184 - Chapel in Ciudad Real by Sancho-Madridejos
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Published on Leave a comment on Spanish Architecture: Casa V in La Coruña, by Dosis de Arquitectura

Casa V consists on the rehabilitation, adaptation and expansion of an existing house, located in Oleiros (La Coruña), designed and built in the early 1960’s.

The intention of the project is to make a place where three generations of one same family can enjoy their holiday simultaneously. For that purpose, a new house is made for the two younger generations, which consists on a side wing that articulates itself with the old building on the northeast. The rooftop of this new house serves as a private garden for the pre-existing house as a landscape response to the existing topography. The original house accommodates now the spaces for family and social interaction, as well as the rooms of the first generation. Each family member has its own independence while remaining a part of a single set. A multilayered wall defined by a single construction detail, which serves both as structure and as thermal and environmental overcoat, meanders in order to embrace the multiplicity of events that occur in the house. Spaces are defined by the unfolding of matter in space-time, which topologically adapts itself to what happens inside. The new house is formalized by the continuous flow of a completely neutral wrap – no edges, no color, no texture - and, within this wrapping, life, action, is the protagonist.

casav - Spanish Architecture: Casa V in La Coruña, by Dosis de Arquitectura

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Published on Leave a comment on Theatre in Xàtiva, Valencia, Spain by Arquitectos Ayala

When the people form Arquitectos Ayala decided to enter the competition to design the new public theatre in Xàtiva (Valencia), Spain, they ascended the nearby Mont Sant near the old fortress to get a better view of the site.

There, they could see how the avenue Alameda divided the old town from the new, and also marked a significant shift in levels and building heights of around 6m. They knew at that moment that the successful scheme would have to negotiate these level differences and integrate both the old and new towns.

Theatre in Xátiva - Theatre in Xàtiva, Valencia, Spain by Arquitectos Ayala
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Published on Leave a comment on Metropol Parasol, Seville, finalist for the EU Prize for Contemporary Architecture

The European Commission and the Fundació Mies van der Rohe have announced the five finalists who will compete for the metropol parasol Seville - Metropol Parasol, Seville, finalist for the EU Prize for Contemporary Architecture2013 European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award. In total, 335 works in the 37 European countries which participate in the EU Culture programme were nominated for the award. An expert jury drew up the final shortlist. The overall winner of the Prize, as well as the 'special mention' award for best emerging architect, will be announced in May, with an award ceremony on 6 June at the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion in Barcelona, Spain.

The biennial European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture and the Special Mention for an Emerging Architect are awarded to highlight recent, excellent examples of architectural creativity of works which are less than two years old and to underline that modern architecture is socially and culturally rooted in European cities and is important in people's everyday life. The prizes are awarded for works in the countries participating in the Culture Programme.
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Published on Leave a comment on Contemporary Architecture in Spain: Murcia Town Hall

The Murcia Town Hall (Spain) raises in the Cardinal Belluga Square, a baroque square where the protagonist are the façade of the Cathedral designed by Jaime Bort and Cardinal Belluga Palace, the work of the architect Canestro. Moneo designs the building of the Town Hall content in its role as a spectator, without seeking the status of protagonist held by the two historical buildings. However we do not imagine a commonplace spectator.

Civil power is embodied in this building on the place where the Church shows its power. The façade/retable of the Town Hall facing the square could never, nor would ever, want to compete with the classical order. It's organised as a musical score, numerically, accepting the system of horizontal levels of the floor slabs. The façade resist symmetries and offers as its key element the balcony of the gallery. The Town Hall has not an entrance on the square. It respects the pre-eminence of those buildings which have occupied it for so long.

Murcia Town Hall4 - Contemporary Architecture in Spain: Murcia Town Hall
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