Fundación Arquitectura, Cordoba (ES)

project International 2-phase ideas competition „building of the Fundación Arquitectura Contemporánea and the San Pablo Block“ in Cordoba (ES) awarding authority Fundación Arquitectura Contemporánea planning WW+ architektur + management sàrl, Esch/Alzette (LUX) - Encarnacion Luna Almendros / Juan Antonio Ruiz Perez, Granada (ES)
ranking among the best 20 (with a total of 280 participants)

The city, the old town and the cultural axes

The future domicile of the Fundación Arquitectura Contemporánea (foundation for contemporary architecture) is located in the San-Pablo-Complex on one of the cultural axes of Cordoba. The axe in question crosses the old town in north-south direction, connecting urban cultural assets right through public pedestrian zones. The old town of Cordoba – and in the broader sense also the San-Pablo-Complex – is featuring a high building density, in which the free spaces seem to be carved in. Hence the place, which is not built upon, is located in the midst of a wall of buildings, which must be crossed to reach the place. There are certain connection problems between the public places, respectively buildings, making it necessary to create effective conjunctions between the different zones in order to expand the cultural axes.
 

Open Sesame!

Amongst others we propose the following measures to solve the problem of accessibility to the inner part of the San-Pablo-Complex and the design problem of the free interior space (numerous interior walls, different height dimensions, bad estate of walls and buildings etc.):
- Creation of pedestrian precincts, starting as axes from the main access points and crossing the Jardín de Orive (Orive garden) in north-south and south-east direction.
- Creation of transparent outdoor spaces, which are connected to the cultural constructions and to the government buildings, thus shifting their activities outside and making it possible for all types of activity to take place outdoors.
- Conservation of the existing garden in its present state and extension of its function as a place of residence and peace.

The domicile of the Fundación Arquitectura Contemporánea
The area concerned has been marked during its history by the utilization of masonry wall architecture and structures. Examples for this are the roman traces (Bridge of San Rafael, temple...) and the Muslim (Mezquita, Medina Azahara...), which are nowadays still recognizable. Our project picks up again this wall legacy and interprets it anew in a modern language. By this we manage to preserve the accordance with the existing structures of the location, transforming the architecture into a transmitter of the culture and values of the past.
The project is arisen from a large amount of massive stones, in which core areas are created. By the extraction of material space occurs, which can be used for different functionalities: culture – work – leisure time. Depending on the nature (open - closed) and position (interior - exterior) of these empty spaces in the overall picture, various connections and usages open up.
The style material of the room: concrete, made of local stone by using mineral aggregates. Concrete with structure, relief, shadow, rough walls, providing shadow and freshness for the pedestrians.
On all levels the organization of the rooms is made according to the same schema: a central room, accomodating the most representative and public functions of the building. The central room is a meeting place to watch an exhibition, to rest and drink a coffee or to lean forward and have a look at the archaeological ruins of the lower floors. On the different levels functional rooms for special demands are arranged around the main area: private rooms, illumination etc.

The zone reaches from the Calle Capitulares (Capitulares street) to the place near the Delegación de Cultura de la Junta de Andalucía (cultural commission of the administration of Andalusia), crosswise through the domicile building. The building allows a sight and pedestrian connection between the public areas and the surrounding buildings as well as the dialogue with the roman temple, as if it was a mirror reflecting it. By these elements the domicile of the foundation adapts itself like an additional part into this “wall of buildings” from the complex and so becomes quietly a part of the city.