The studio beSTe arkitektura has designed the project for the reform and adaptation of the roof of the Atsegindegi square in the city of Hernani, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country.

The project was completed just in time for the 2020 carnival season in Spain. This was the only time when the new plaza was used, as the state of alarm was shortly after decreed due to the coronavirus.
The roof designed bya beSTe arkitektura covers the 1,200m² space attributed to the plaza. With the proposal of beSTe arkitektura, it is sought that more than an urban roof, the new plaza becomes an infrastructure adaptable to multiple uses.

The existing urban roof structure is adapted with mobile elements to achieve a greater level of protection in the interior and transform the covered space into an attractive place for the daily activities that take place in the plaza.
 

Project description by beSTe arkitektura

In 2005, together with the construction of a semi-underground car park in the Atsegindegi area of ​​Hernani, Gipuzkoa, an urban roof-shaped structure was erected that covers an area of 1,200m² of the new plaza.

The weather of Hernani and the intensity of collective activities that are programmed in the municipality throughout the year, make the cover of Atsegindegi square the designated place to move concerts, carnivals, popular markets, and other collective events when the time does not allow to do them in the squares and streets of the town. This experience of using the square in different ways showed new needs for the infrastructure.

Initially, it was requested to design a system of lateral protections for the days when activities are held inside, and the rain together with the prevailing winds in the area are a concern. To this first request, other derivatives of the deficiencies that are detected through the contrasts interviews made to neighbors, agents, and groups of Hernani are added.

Among other aspects, the lack of natural light in such a large space, the reverberation of noises and sounds, or the lack of spaces to sit or meet are noted. Consequently, the main objectives of the project are marked: adapting the existing urban roof structure with mobile lateral protections for holding public events with a higher level of protection and transforming the covered space itself into an attractive place for the daily activities that occur in the square.

The project takes three main strategies:

-Change of the opaque cover material in some of its sections to introduce translucent materials. Polycarbonates and tensioned textiles are used as sound absorption materials.

-Build two side pavilions that, in addition to acting as warehouses, make up the side covers and generate bleachers at both ends of the square. In these pavilions, the furniture commonly used in the events that take place in the plaza will be stored, and they will host new mobile furniture that will be displayed throughout the plaza and will be adapted for children's games or small libraries related to the programming of the house of culture next to the plaza.

-Install fixed and mobile protection facades on the north façade to promote the versatility of the use in the plaza.


The project seeks to be more than an urban roof. The new plaza is an infrastructure adaptable to multiple uses.

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Architects
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beSTe arkitektura. Architect.- Ibon Salaberria.
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Collaborators
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Asier Sanchez, Ibai Madariaga, Roman Egaña, INAK ingenieritza.
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Builder
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Indenort.
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Developer
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Hernani Town Hall.
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Area
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1,200m²
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Dates
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2020
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Manufacturers
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Metallic structures.-Iruko Berri. Wood.- Ensambla. Cubertec.- Facades and Roofs. Sabaitek.- Acoustic tarps. Imel.- Electricity.
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Location
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Hernani, Gipuzkoa, Spain.
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Photography
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Mikel Eskauriaza.
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BeSTe Arkitektura, founded by Ibon Salaberria, is a Spanish architecture studio based in  Zarautz-Gipuzkoa. Ibon Salaberria is an architect by the ETSA of San Sebastián (2003) and finalist in the first final project of iguzzini Spain. He completed the Master's Degree in Participation and Community Development (2015) by the University of the Basque Country.

Between 1998 and 2005 he worked at Arteleku (former art center of San Sebastian) as a resident "artist". During this period he coordinated the international workshop "bizi garen espazioen eraldakuntza" and the interdisciplinary laboratory "labitaciones". He was also part of the editorial team of the "Project of expansion and rehabilitation of Arteleku" between 1999 and 2003 with BGM architects.

In 2006 he founded the TOKI arkitekturak studio. TOKI's work has been selected in several exhibitions and catalogs since its inception: In 2007, he was selected in the exhibition "JAE (Young Architects of Spain)" and has traveled to Madrid, Paris, Rome, Brussels, Stockholm, New York, Chicago, Washington, Dallas and other cities. In the same year, TOKI was selected for the "arquia-próxima" catalog where the works of 128 very young Spanish architects are exhibited. In 2007 he was a finalist in the "Awards of the Official College of Architects Vasco Navarro" in the category of housing.

In 2008, in the publication of "44 Young International Architects" in the selection by Grupo Vía, where works by 44 architects from Europe and America are exhibited. In 2009 he was part of the exhibition "Reflections.

The corridor in the collective housing "held in Arquería de Nuevos Ministerios. At the same time, TOKI was selected in the list-map of 40 studies for digital monographic publication 2G Dossier Jóvenes Arquitectos Españoles.   He is Professor of Architectural Projects at the ETSA of San Sebastian since 2007. Coordinator and Commissioner of "City and Other Policies" at the Center for Contemporary Culture of San Sebastian 2013-2018.

In 2015 he founded beSTe Arkitektura Agentzia Bat. In 2016 he obtained the "bronze" award in the American Architecture Prize in the interior design category by TABA. In 2016 he won the Ascer Awards for the interior design of TABA. In 2019 he is selected in the architecture FAD awards by JAjaus.
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