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Brick pavilion in two times

I. SUMMARY INFORMATION
Project
296738
Status
Submitted
Award category
Regaining a sense of belonging
You want to submit
NEW EUROPEAN BAUHAUS AWARDS: existing completed examples
Project title
Brick pavilion in two times
Full project title
Pavilion in the courthouse of Alcalá de Henares
Description

The request form the town hall to rehabilitate the façade of an existing ruin in the city centre was the starting point to the project, a new weding space for civil ceremonies.  An intervention in a building that was need for its survival, but even more, a pleasant space that dignifies civil wedings, available to all citizens in Alcalá de Henares

What was the geographical scope of your project?
Local
Alcalá de Henares
Comunidad de Madrid
Does your project address mainly urban or rural issues?
Mainly urban
Does your project refer to a physical transformation of the built environment or other types of transformations?
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment ('hard investment')
Has your project benefited from EU programmes or funds?
No
Has your project won an EU prize?
No
Your project is fully completed?
Yes
When was your project implemented?
How did you hear about the New European Bauhaus Prizes ?
Newsletter
On whose behalf are you submitting the application?
As an individual
II. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT
Please provide a summary of your project

The project was born from the will of the town hall to rehabilitate the façade of an existing ruin. The structure had a sunken roof, and only a brick wall remained in a decent condition. The intervention consisted in rehabilitating this wall and extending with a new one, increasing the size of the space to adapt it for its new function: a multifunctional space and wedding hall for the Justice Courts in Alcalá de Henares, Madrid.

 The new façade maintains the same brick material as its older counterpart, but contrasts with it by the way it is used. In opposition to the load-bearing, massive structure, the new façade floats above a continuous ribbon window, through which one can see into a small garden area. Next to this window, a sheet of water reflects the sky, and floods the room with reflections, bringing a sense of calm to the space.

The functionality of the space is simple. The inside of the pavilion is split in two multifunctional, double-height rooms, articulated around a central core which hosts the reception, bathrooms, press rooms and services.

The pavilion looks to dignify the civil union ceremony, usually relegated to unimportant, simple spaces, by proposing to give them the ceremonial importance of traditional religious unions.

Please indicate the main themes of your project with 5 key words
regeneration
respect
belonging
new use
courthouse
Please give information about the key objectives of your project in terms of sustainability (including circularity) and how these have been met.
Please highlight how the project can be exemplary in this context

To mantain a judicial building in the historic center, taking advantage of existing buildings that work together, is an approach that pleads for environmental and social sustainability, avoiding emptying buildings in the city centre and at the same time generating activity around them. The pavilion is an example in how a simple intervention can derive in a bigger impact for both the city and the users of the building.

Please give information about the key objectives of your project in terms of aesthetics and quality of experience beyond functionality and how these have been met.
Please highlight how the project can be exemplary in this context

Within the simplicity of the intervention, which seeks to give life to an existing building without high economic costs, through a simple architectural proposal and a new use, the architects are committed to imaginative and simple solutions that create an elegant and careful image, which is at the same time neutral and welcoming. Thus, the cladding of the structure with the integration of the facilities defines the interior volume, the proposal seeks the entry of natural light or generates a continous view to a small garden with a pond.

Please give information about the key objectives of your project in terms of inclusion (equal opportunities, public participation, citizen engagement, co-design, universal design, accessibility, affordability, etc.) and how these have been met.
Please highlight how the project can be exemplary in this context

The space is based on a simple intervention, where the existing façade is rehabilitated, and the space is generated with a structure of metal trusses. To achieve these spatial qualities based on simplicity, several strategies are implemented, such as the use of a perforated cladding of the metal structure, which integrates air conditioning, lighting and acoustic absorption. Furthermore a wooden plinth and a wooden floor are used to provide warmth or a long and narrow window is introduced to give a sense of the roof not resting on the walls, getting the light to activate the space by being projected onto the white painted wall.

A pleasant and unique space is achieved, which dignifies the civil union room space of a courthouse, an act sometimes relegated to a space without qualification, and brings it closer to the ceremonial space associated with religious marriage.

Configuring a small pavilion for civil unions as an independent piece, with its own access from the street, separated from the normal life of a courthouse, generates a unique small scale space for this events, that brings the judicial system closer to the citizens.

Please explain how these three dimensions have been combined in your project.
Please highlight how this approach can be exemplary

The project was possible as it was a simple intervention associated to a new use that allowed to maintain an existing building. All the constraints made the project focus in the essentials, where sustainability or affordability where the only possible solutions in order to the project to be built. This issues were understood as opportunities to focus in essential, the individual, its experience, the meaning of a civil union or the relation we all have with the justice system of our countries.

Please give information on the results/impacts achieved by your project in relation to the category you apply for

The building has been well received in the city in which it is located, Alcalá de Henares (Unesco World Heritage Site). It has even received the “Premio Ciudad de Alcalá” award, an acknowledgment by the City Council, that recognises interventions that improve the built heritage of the city.

Now the city has a dedicated and exclusive space for civil weddings within the court complex. This means there is no need for the bride and groom and their guests to enter a complex and big building.

This  new building approaches the courthouse in a friendly way to the citizens, increasing the sense of belonging and the feeling of closeness to something as the judicial system, which is usually seen as distant and complicated.

Please explain how citizens and civil society were involved in the in the design and/or implementation of the project.
Please also explain the benefits that derived from their involvement.

The project is based on a request from citizens, made through the city council to the competent Administration of the region. Thus, due to the deterioration of the façade facing the street of the existing building, it is requested that this façade is adapted to maintain the high environmental quality of the city centre, area where the building is located. This has resulted in the request for a building that is respectful with the environment, which is exemplified in the façade facing the street and in the roof that hides the facilities towards it,. At the same time it was allowed to create of a modern façade towards the interior of the plot, which dialogues with the facade towards the outside

Please explain what kind of global challenges the project addressed by providing local solutions

The abandonment and progressive deterioration of the urban centre is common in our cities. The conservation of built heritage is also a challenge. When introducing a new use and adapting the existing building it was possible to address the issues previously stated. The project is planned in a way that it can be constructed with traditional buildings systems and local solutions,. It was also possible to build it with companies from the nearby area.

Please highlight the innovative character of the project as compared to mainstream practices in the field of the project.

This kind of buildings are uncommon in Spain. Usually wedding spaces are either religious or a room in a courtroom. It is innovative to create a singular space in the courthouse for this use, as an independent space. A space that dignifies civil weddings, which citizens can choose for a meaningful celebration.  This also means an approach of the courthouse and the judicial system to the citizens.

Please explain to the potential of transferring the projects’ results or learnings to other interested parties and contexts.
Please provide clear documentation, communication of methodology and principles in this context.

A simple intervention in terms of complexity, budget, etc may imply a great impact both in the city and the citizens or users of the building.

An approach based on the implementation of new uses in the city centre by rehabilitating existing buildings with non previously existing uses may be used in other locations.

 

Is an evaluation report or any relevant documentation available?
If you would like to upload additional documentation, please upload it or write it below
III. UPLOAD PICTURES
IV. VALIDATION
By ticking this box, you declare that you are not in in one or more of the exclusion situations foreseen under Article 136 of the Financial Regulation.
Yes
By ticking this box, you declare that all the information provided in this form is factually correct, that you assume sole liability in the event of a claim relating to the activities carried out in the framework of the contest, that the proposed project has not been proposed for the New European Bauhaus Prizes 2022 in any other category or strand and that it has not been subject to any type of investigation, which could lead to a financial correction because of irregularities or fraud.
Yes
By submitting your application, you guarantee that you are the author or have the rights to proceed with the application and to authorise the use of the project, concept, idea, and that you have obtained any necessary consents, licenses or assignments from third parties and included copyright notices when necessary.
Yes
By submitting your application, you understand that all the applications that meet the eligibility requirements will be shared for the purposes of the selection processes, and notably published on the secured platform https://prizes.new-european-bauhaus.eu/ and for the purposes of the promotion of these on the New European Bauhaus website and/or other European Commission communication channels. In this sense, the applications would be widely available. Applicants should ensure that they present their ideas, concepts, projects, in such a way that they could be shared without giving rise to intellectual property related concerns. If your submission is selected as one of the finalists, it will additionally be shared for the purpose of the public vote that will take place. The European Union is granted a licence to use and share your application with the general public and the official external experts for the purposes of the selection process, including the voting. The European Union has the right to use the images and visual materials and the description provided in the application for communication purposes related to the contest and beyond. Rights granted comprise the right to store, reproduce, display, publish and communicate or distribute copies in electronic or digital format, including, but not only, through the internet. Unless you have disclosed your name, the European Commission has no obligation to share your name when using or disseminating your contribution to the public. The European Union cannot be held responsible in case any submitted idea, project, concept is found to infringe third parties rights. The European Union shall be neither responsible for the use that third parties may do of the applications or related content.
Yes

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