2014 VIP LOUNGE, ARCO Madrid by Emmanuel Romero

Project description by architect

The proposal starts from a functional program (provided by the Organization) dotted with a Bar, Lounge, Restaurant and four spaces reserved for sponsors.

In this place, the intervention of the same “object” repeated up to 19 times (built onto the wall and flying up 8 meters high toward the center of the room) allows us to change the space as many times as exist options and variations of rhythm and position of the object exist.

Our “universe” is formed from a single OBJECT with a triangular structure in the ground and  triangulated with each other that "fly" with two warped surfaces (like a structure of F. Candela concerned), all reaching maximum stability and balance of forces , leading to a minimum material consumption, weight, cost and manufacturing and assembly time. These conditions are  something crucial in order to be able to carry out the project in only three days.

These OBJECTS, along the space, are turning into corners and places facing one to another, as a zipper, solving different problematic issues:

The division of space through a variable length base that divides and configures the program’s parts. The SPACE-VOLUME SET by creating a 4 meters sky-roof to bring VIP room’ scale into a  human scale (in comparison with the pavilion’s 11 meters disproportionate height), ACOUSTICS,because  the triangular geometry and the cantilevered section prevents excessive echoes and reverberations; LIGHT, because the “objects” are  illuminated from inside and textile coating works as a diffuser screen.

The spatial distribution of the functional program is seeking CLARITY. ACCESS has an Annex cloakroom and is located is in front of the BAR. In the background RESTAURANT and the central "LOUNGE" feature a succession of lounges separated by objects-structures with a central WOODLAND AREA, with benches like “islands" punctuating in the space. The inclusion of this green area tries to throw away the notion of lost outdoor space inside the pavilion.

For this proposal, the Sponsors had a crucial importance. Both are innovative Spanish companies, with an international recognition and prestige and are closely linked to the art world.

- STUA (national design award) is the sponsor of the room’s furniture.
- Another of our desires was that the most visible part of the "objects", their “skin” made with fabric would be provided by company-sponsored group LAMADRID textile editor.

For this project, the two companies have collaborated on the production of the NUBE armchair with Lamadrid’s fabric.