Ecoproyecta architecture studio, led by Pablo Carbonell and Juan Miguel Galera, was commissioned to renovate wells 11 and 13 of the Sierra Espuña Snow Wells in Murcia, a city in the southeast of Spain. For four centuries these constructions served as gigantic refrigerators that supplied ice to the Region, until the beginning of the 20th century.
 
Their use declined due to the appearance of the first "industrial cold" factories, which is why at the time of the intervention they remained in complete deterioration. The project was one of those chosen for the Rehabilitation and Renovation award in the latest Architecture Awards of the Region of Murcia (XXII edition).
The restoration of two snow wells in Sierra Espuña projected by Ecoproyecta begins with the idea that it is impossible to recover the use that these ice factories had, therefore, an attempt has been made to create a project where one can look into the impressive buildings of the wells. of ice, which surprises with the beauty of their architectural lines and the depth they have.
 
The project is built from new elements to access the imposing interior, such as a viewpoint and a staircase in well 11, as well as a walkway that crosses the void in 13, thus improving the experience when visiting. these constructions. To differentiate the elements that already existed from the new implementations, the new elements are made with wood.

Restoration of two snow wells in Sierra Espuña by Ecoproyecta. Photography by David Frutos.
 

Project description by Ecoproyecta

This project emerged from the Master Plan for the Snow Wells of Sierra Espuña, which included the cataloging and analysis of the state of conservation of these ancient ice factories. Thanks to this effort, in November 2022, the cultural landscape of the wells was declared a Cultural Heritage Site (BIC) in the category of "ethnographic place of interest." Among the urgent measures outlined in the Master Plan was the restoration of wells number 11 and 13 due to their uniqueness, accessibility, and state of conservation. Despite significant damage and the collapse of a substantial part of their domes, they still retained enough structure and data for their recovery. Well, number 11 stands out as the largest in Sierra Espuña, posing a significant structural challenge. Well, number 13 preserved part of its original dome, providing valuable information about its geometry.

Objectives and Restoration Methodology:
The Challenge of Working with Traditional Techniques and Materials. This project aimed for the comprehensive restoration of two wells, with the primary goal of recovering their original geometry, thus having two complete examples within the set of 28 wells. Restoration was carried out using traditional construction techniques and materials, namely, stone and brick masonry, accompanied by lime mortar. Before this intervention, no complete well remained in Sierra Espuña following its original structure, as the two previously restored ones were erected using metal structures, diverging from traditional techniques.


Restoration of two snow wells in Sierra Espuña by Ecoproyecta. Photography by David Frutos.

Two Wells, Two Construction Systems. We encountered two distinct typologies: well number 11 with a mixed construction dome (stone/brick), and well number 13 with a stone masonry dome built by layering. This resulted in domes with different shapes, one resembling a hemisphere and the other a cone. We chose to employ these traditional construction systems to preserve the authenticity of the original typologies.

Visitor Experience.
Our ultimate goal was not to restore the original use of these ice factories, which is no longer relevant today. Instead, we aimed to enable visitors to explore these unique structures and learn about the history of the ice trade in the past. To enhance the visitor experience, new access elements were added, such as an observation deck and staircase in Well 11, as well as a walkway crossing the void in Well 13. These elements, designed and constructed in wood, distinguish themselves from the original materials.

More information

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Architects
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Ecoproyecta. Architects.- Pablo Carbonell, Juan Miguel Galera.
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Collaborators
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Botany.- Antonio Robledo.
Structural engineering.- Qube Structures.
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Builder
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Patrimonio Inteligente.
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Area
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308 sqm.
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Dates
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Completion work in 2022.
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Location
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Parque Regional de Sierra Espuña, Carretera Fuente Alta, RM-515, 30840 Alhama de Murcia, Murcia, España.
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Photography
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Ecoproyecta is a collaborative network of professionals related to sustainable construction and the environment, that designs architecture and engineering projects. Its design activity and problem solving is focused towards sustainability applied to construction, production processes and intervention in the environment, both urban and rural.

Ecoproyecta emerged in 2005 as a small study in collaboration between an architect and an agricultural engineer with a common belief that it is possible to provide solutions to the world of construction from a more sustainable new perspective and greater environmental sensitivity. It was formalized in 2007 as a professional civil society with the aim of consolidating this collaboration and taking on the projects that were emerging in the studio.

In 2010, looking for a new way of working, Ecoproyecta creates a collaborative network among professionals with whome it has interacted, as a means of organization best suited to the times, able to cope with the complexity of the projects related to the sustainability.
 

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