Easter Sculpture Museum by EXIT Architects

Make a container for the "sculptures" of Easter Week, it not seems a simple matter. To design basically a container, that has identity, that to recover some part of the ruins of earlier buildings and that it is a contemporary building, is the result of this singular and well built building, Museum in Hellin, Albacete. Ibán and Mario, from "Exit Architects", have taken their time, they began 10 years ago with the project but it was worth. Simple and very good. Congratulations!

The proposed new "Museum of Easter", by Exit Architects, was conceived through the organization of a contest of ideas by the City of Hellin. The rules proposed into both the rehabilitation and use of space of the house of Conde as to build a new area in the liberated part of the site after the disappearance of the House's auxiliary areas, which had no value and were in a state of ruin.

Contest phase. In the proposal submitted to the contest was proposed the comprehensive rehabilitation of the Casa del Conde as part of the new Museum. It wanted to give a strong presence to the incorporation of the back facade, into of main space of exposure. The inner courtyard of the same was also seen as a unique element that linked the old and the new building. The second floor was devoted primarily to offices and offices of the Brotherhoods and the third floor for library and mediatheque.

Project stage. However, when the project was developing, and after a closer inspection of the property, it was found that was not viable comprehensive conservation of the same, so it was decided to concentrate efforts on strengthening and rehabilitation of two polychrome facades and recover those valuable elements such as railings or columns. Thus, the facade is preserved after removal of the rest of the house and becomes a canvas. An object that plays a key role in building the relationship with the urban environment.

The general solution takes as its starting point the trace conservation of the volume of the house of Conde. The new construction is delayed, creating an urban area associated with the entry-exit of visitors and steps in the celebrations of Holy Week. Thus the set has a double scale, nearby Calle San Jerónimo and far from the Church Square.

The building is configured as a stepped volume, which responds to the surrounding urban volumetry. Latter mechanism is used as a coating of veneer stone from local quarries, creating an echo, with the Church of the Assumption, marking the representation thereof, and obtaining a chromatic scale couples with the prevailing hue of the historic urban context.

As for the new building, a white concrete volume, carved by light, involves a sinuous walk between Easter sculptures that are placed on a large wooden pedestals. Thus, contrary to what happens in the streets, the viewer, walking between images, discovers different perspectives.

CREDITS.-

Architects.- Ibán Carpintero / Mario SanJuán.
Client.- Ministerio de Fomento / Ayto. de Hellín.
Collaborators.- Miguel Gracía-Redondo. Silvia N. Gómez. Ángel Sevillano. José Mª Tabuyo. Consultant structures.- INDAGSA (Jose Luis Cano). Consultant facilities: Maintenance Iberian. Quantity surveyor.- Alberto Palencia / Jose Antonio Alonso.
Contractor.- PEFERSAN, Inc.
Surface.- 2,160 m²
Budget.- 3,512,235 euros
Project date.- 2002
Project finished.- 2011

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Site plan. Easter Sculpture Museum by EXIT Architects.

Level +/-0.00. Easter Sculpture Museum by EXIT Architects.

Level +3.00. Easter Sculpture Museum by EXIT Architects.

Level +7.00. Easter Sculpture Museum by EXIT Architects.

Section. Easter Sculpture Museum by EXIT Architects.

Elevation and section. Easter Sculpture Museum by EXIT Architects.

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ARCHITECTS EXIT

EXIT Architects. They begin their activity in the late nineties winning the contest Museum Easter Hellin, recently completed. The holding of competitions has been the dedication of the study throughout the years, among which are those built as the Public Library in the district of Vallecas (Madrid), Rehabilitation of the former provincial prison in Palencia and Civic Center Cultural Center of Carr Health (Madrid) and several buildings of public housing in Avilés (Asturias), Tortola and Yunquera de Henares (Guadalajara).

Among the first prizes in competitions under development include the Visitor Center National Park of Sierra Nevada (Granada), the Health Center Villaverde and the Municipal Library of San Martin de la Vega in Madrid, and the Municipal Stadium Heritage (Ciudad Real).

They have also won numerous awards and citations, highlighting the second prizes at the Parque Litoral Norte de Santander, the National Museum of Forest Energy in Ponferrada, the Civic-Cultural Center Santa Cruz de Bezana in Cantabria, the Heritage Auditorium and Space Cultural Miguelturra, both in Ciudad Real and the Auditorium and Congress Palace of Santa Eulalia in Ibiza, as well as those obtained in the different editions of Europan: Aviles (2001), Guadalajara (2003) and Calahorra (2007).

Also, as private commissions have finished two schools in Las Rozas and Guadarrama, the Parish Center "San Jose" in Guadalajara, and Several housing Developments in Madrid and Guadalajara, as well as Reforms of houses.

Ángel Sevillano (Ciudad Real 1972) and José Mª Tabuyo (La Coruña 1972) are architects by the School of Architecture at the Polytechnic University of Madrid and founding members of EXIT Architects. EXIT Architects is staffed by a team of architects from various parts of Spain working partners to integrate knowledge and experience of each of its members, and deal with the most reputable and professional work capacity.

Ibán Carpintero (Madrid 1972) and Mario Sanjuán (Madrid 1972) are architects by the School of Architecture at the Polytechnic University of Madrid and founding members of EXIT Architects. EXIT Architects is staffed by a team of architects from various parts of Spain working partners to integrate knowledge and experience of each of its members, and deal with the most reputable and professional work capacity.