Bringing architectural space to life. Reactivation of Plaça del Carme by unparelld'arquitectes
07/05/2022.
[Olot] Spain
metalocus, CARLOS RUBIO
metalocus, CARLOS RUBIO
Unparelld'arquitectes have been commissioned to reactivate the Plaça del Carme in Olot, a town in the province of Girona known for being a natural enclave and part of the Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park. The proposal (2022 FAD Awards Shortlist) is based on the comfort and safety of the public space as well as the enhancement of vitality. Commerce is an integral part of the street.
Based on the idea that the character and activity of a street depend on the façades and what goes on behind them, a relationship was established between the interior and the exterior through the use of shop windows, thus blurring the line between public and private.
Based on the idea that the character and activity of a street depend on the façades and what goes on behind them, a relationship was established between the interior and the exterior through the use of shop windows, thus blurring the line between public and private.
Reactivation of Plaça del Carme by unparelld'arquitectes. Photograph by José Hevia.
Reactivation of Plaça del Carme by unparelld'arquitectes. Photograph by José Hevia.
Reactivation of Plaça del Carme by unparelld'arquitectes. Photograph by José Hevia.
Reactivation of Plaça del Carme by unparelld'arquitectes. Photograph by José Hevia.
Reactivation of Plaça del Carme by unparelld'arquitectes. Photograph by José Hevia.
Reactivation of Plaça del Carme by unparelld'arquitectes. Photograph by José Hevia.
Reactivation of Plaça del Carme by unparelld'arquitectes. Photograph by José Hevia.
Reactivation of Plaça del Carme by unparelld'arquitectes. Photograph by José Hevia.
Reactivation of Plaça del Carme by unparelld'arquitectes. Photograph by José Hevia.
Reactivation of Plaça del Carme by unparelld'arquitectes. Photograph by José Hevia.
Reactivation of Plaça del Carme by unparelld'arquitectes. Photograph by José Hevia.
Reactivation of Plaça del Carme by unparelld'arquitectes. Photograph by José Hevia.
Reactivation of Plaça del Carme by unparelld'arquitectes. Photograph by José Hevia.
Reactivation of Plaça del Carme by unparelld'arquitectes. Photograph by José Hevia.
Reactivation of Plaça del Carme by unparelld'arquitectes. Photograph by José Hevia.
Reactivation of Plaça del Carme by unparelld'arquitectes. Photograph by José Hevia.
Urban and site plan. Reactivation of Plaça del Carme by unparelld'arquitectes.
Axonometry with the main actions. Reactivation of Plaça del Carme by unparelld'arquitectes.
Details. Reactivation of Plaça del Carme by unparelld'arquitectes.
Reactivation of Plaça del Carme by unparelld'arquitectes. Photograph by José Hevia.
Pre-existing condition. Reactivation of Plaça del Carme by unparelld'arquitectes. Photograph by Roger Serrat-Calvó.
Pre-existing condition. Reactivation of Plaça del Carme by unparelld'arquitectes. Photograph by Roger Serrat-Calvó.
Pre-existing condition. Reactivation of Plaça del Carme by unparelld'arquitectes. Photograph by Roger Serrat-Calvó.
Pre-existing condition. Reactivation of Plaça del Carme by unparelld'arquitectes. Photograph by Roger Serrat-Calvó.
Pre-existing condition. Reactivation of Plaça del Carme by unparelld'arquitectes. Photograph by Roger Serrat-Calvó.
Pre-existing condition. Reactivation of Plaça del Carme by unparelld'arquitectes. Photograph by Roger Serrat-Calvó.
The intervention of Unparelld'arquitectes is based on trying to solve the problems of abandonment caused by the current commercial economic system in cities. In this way, all its attention is focused on the reactivation of the commercial premises in the square, a system of traditional urban planning is claimed.
The strategy to be followed is guided by a structure of continuous dialogue between the premises and the public space of the street. To achieve this, new vegetation is inserted in the square, the lighting is improved, the façades are transformed into contemplative objects and the square becomes a place that encourages neighbours to meet.
In addition to this work, a new art school is being built and an existing cooperative is being remodelled.
Axonometry with the main actions. Reactivation of Plaça del Carme by unparelld'arquitectes.The strategy to be followed is guided by a structure of continuous dialogue between the premises and the public space of the street. To achieve this, new vegetation is inserted in the square, the lighting is improved, the façades are transformed into contemplative objects and the square becomes a place that encourages neighbours to meet.
In addition to this work, a new art school is being built and an existing cooperative is being remodelled.
Reactivation of Plaça del Carme by unparelld'arquitectes. Photograph by José Hevia.
Description of project by unparelld'arquitectes
Shopping is an integral part of the street. Improving the vitality, comfort and safety of the public space was done by fostering occupancy of closed shops and emphasising relationships through the shop windows. That was the task developed on the street in the project, Good morning, Carme! (Olot, 2021). In a single year, 1000 m² of shops were opened and 120 m of façade were redesigned in a single square in the old town.
Changes in the consumption model have caused the centres of many cities to head into a sharp commercial decline. Based on the premise that the activity and character of the street depends on the façades and what happens behind them, the urban renewal of these spaces inevitably involved the mobilisation of the bank of empty ground floor premises. The shop windows are where this relationship was established, with extensions into the outside with awnings and pedestal tables and into the inside with the products on display.
It was thus advisable to blur the borders between the public and the private, from a physical perspective and, especially, from a municipal management viewpoint. That was the starting point for the Good morning, Carme! project, which united and went hand in hand with a collective hope: the revival of Plaça del Carme in the centre of Olot. Traditional city planning was reconsidered, allocating 70% of the budget to ground floors. The project also included the opening of the city's Art School and the remodelling of a warehouse for a consumer cooperative. It is a project of projects, involving 3 developers and 8 shopkeepers.
The approach was similar to acupuncture, like a catalogue of actions that add complexity and depth to the relationships between the street and the ground floors. This catalogue considered planting deciduous trees to complement the façades, the lighting of the street from the perimeter and from the insides, converting empty openings into alcoves to exhibit sculptures from the Art School and overhauling shop windows to endow them with the most transparency possible and bring them into dialogue with the street.
During the nine months that works lasted, the 'Carme office' was set up in the square, where we cooked up ideas on how to reactivate the space. This was the meeting point between neighbours, shopkeepers, owners and technicians, who also took on the roles of facilitators, managers and mediators. Dividing the project into stages ensured we could adapt it to any new needs detected.
More information
Architects
unparelld'arquitectes. Lead architects.- Eduard Callís, Guillem Moliner.
Design team
Clàudia Calvet, Xevi Rodeja.
Collaborators
Visual artist.- Quim Domene.
(Special collaboration in the restoration of Simon Kuma lampposts)
Members of l’Artiga.- Simon Group.
Structural Designer.- Miquel Capdevila.
Industrial Engineers.- Miquel Capdevila.
Lighting Design advice.- Grupo Noria.
Landscaping advice.- Xevi Pujol.
(Special collaboration in the restoration of Simon Kuma lampposts)
Members of l’Artiga.- Simon Group.
Structural Designer.- Miquel Capdevila.
Industrial Engineers.- Miquel Capdevila.
Lighting Design advice.- Grupo Noria.
Landscaping advice.- Xevi Pujol.
Developer
Olot town hall, L'Artiga Coop, Art School of Olot.
Area
1,750 sqm.
Budget
€ 390,000.
Dates
Project.- 2020-2021.
Construction.-2021.
Construction.-2021.
Location
Plaça del Carme, Olot, Gerona, Spain.
Photography
Guillem Moliner, Eduard Callís. unparelld’arquitectes
unparelld’arquitectes is an architectural firm led by Eduard Callís and Guillem Moliner based in Olot. The office's work has been exhibited in different European cities and has been awarded by the Spanish Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism (2018), Palmarés Technal (2018), Girona Architecture Prize (2017/2016/2004), AJAC Award (2016/2012), Darc Awards (2016), shortlisted at the AR Emerging Awards (2016), European Award for Urban Public Space (2016), Lamp Lighting Solutions Awards (2017/2015) or FAD Architecture and Interior Design Awards (2017/2014), among others.
Eduard Callís is a PhD in architecture from Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) with the thesis “The Architecture of Spanish Dams”, a professor at the ETSAB Barcelona School of Architecture (UPC), previously at Girona and ETSAV, and a member of the HABITAR research group.
Guillem Moliner is an architect who graduated from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) and is a professor of interior design at Olot Art and Design School.
Eduard Callís is a PhD in architecture from Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) with the thesis “The Architecture of Spanish Dams”, a professor at the ETSAB Barcelona School of Architecture (UPC), previously at Girona and ETSAV, and a member of the HABITAR research group.
Guillem Moliner is an architect who graduated from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) and is a professor of interior design at Olot Art and Design School.
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