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Northwest and Pacific Region AIAStudent Design Awards SubmissionSection II: Project Narrative

ARCH 480 Studio -- 9 Week TermIndividual Student ProjectRe-Envisioning Visitor CenterAlong the Onyar River, Girona Spain

Setting: The city of Girona is populated with over 100,000 people and is located in Spain’s northeastern Catalonia region, along the River Onyar.

The Old Quarter dates back several thousand years and was built up over time, organically following the river’s edge with long, narrow, curving city blocks. The east and west bank of the Onyar share a dialog with a colorful and irregular push and pull of building facades, which has become Girona Spain’s unique iconic image. Problem: The Visitors’ Center along the River Onyar is the uneventful termination point on the east bank

GIRONA SPAIN

city block that does little to activate the connection between the east and west portions of the city. Additionally, access to the river from the plaza is uninviting, creating a subtle barrier and causing a disconnect between the people and the waterway. Proposal: Create a new architectural space that both celebrates the event of the river and adds a exciting punctuation point to the head of the long, narrow, snaking block, worthy of international notice.

This space should sparkle and call people to it, stitich-ing the two halves of the city together with its place making, and reactivate people with the river.

CULTURE AND TRADITIONGirona Spain Red and Golden Rich Traditions and Culture Parade of the Three Kings: The Kings travel from the Orient to the city, setting up their tents and receiving all the children who come to meet them. Then their Majesties ride through the streets of the city. Mardi Gras: Carnival time, masked balls are held from Saturday to Tuesday as groups of revelers party in the streets. El Fòrum Gastronòmic: A food FairThe first congress of gastronomy, synonymous with discretion, thorough-ness, credibility, image, and prestige. Gastronomy Week: A week-long promotion of local cuisine offering special menus of new culinary trends, putting Girona cuisine in the public spotlight. Holy Week: Good Friday’s procession of the Burial of Christ, features Ancient Roman soldiers (manaies). The Spring Festival: Held on the Rambla on the week before St George’s Day, with a wide range of activities including the hoisting of the Tarlà, the legendary symbol of the city of Girona. St George’s Day: Book stalls and flower sellers fill the streets of Girona, celebrat-ing Catalan culture and the tradition of giving a rose to a sweetheart. Girona Flower Time: For ten days the City’s historical buildings courtyards and gardens are adorned with flowers. St Narcissus’ Fair and Festival: The annual festival includes a trade fair, a carnival, musical performances, street fairs parades and a festival (correfoc). Christmas: Christmas lights and activities for the community.

BLOCK TYPOLOGIES

Plaza de la Independenciahomogenousconsistent facadessymmetrical formslarge blocking masseslarge open spacesless intimatemore public

River Onyarflanked by long, narrow, snaking city blocksvarying shapes, sizes, colorspush and pull of overlapping geometriesthat have a dialog back and forth across the river

Carrer Ramblaelongated plazasocial energy: shopping & cafe diningdressed with trees, lamps, & umbrellasat human scale

Narrow Streetsnarrow, fissure-like streetsclusters of building massestiny random courtyardsintimate, private, shared spaces

Rooftop Detail East Side Figure Ground East Side

Horizontal Rooftops Detail Horizontal Street Detail

Long Vertical Rooftops Detail Long Vertical Street Detail

OLD QUARTER RIVER PATTERNING

SITE SPECIFIC DESIGN

angleinterractswith river

plazainterractswith river path

down to river

indoorprivate

Indoor public community

outdoorpublic community

utility andcirculation

utility andcirculation

outdoor public zones

public outdoor river interactive

communityinteractive

communityinteractive

artist gallery spaces

public outdoor river interactive

public entrance

cool zones beneath the gallerysubterraine

sunny streets cooled by shade trees and umbrellas

hot zone on bridge

river’s edge cooled by umbrellas& shaded by bridge

cool zone in river

hot zone southern

sun

hot zones on buildingfaces

hot zones on buildingfaces

organically shaped elongated street edge

texture and language of neighboring buildings

social gatheringshopping & dining along the ramblas

canope of treeskeep the scale at a human level

umbrellas, arcades and trees keep the street ramblas cool

iconic view of river from the bridge

Design Goals:

Interacts with the river by positioning the south section of the building in the river--as if the Gallery were touching its toe into the water--allowing the river to flow in, around, and through its base. Provides accessibility to the river’s fluctuating high and low tidal points. Engages in a dialog between the east and the west bank buildings. Provides physical and visual access to the River Onyar from the Rambla with an open arcade on the main level, ramping that leads down to the river, and stepping stones at the foundation level to activate the river’s edge. Provides place-making at Girona’s heart and stitches together the east-ern and western portions of the city with indoor and outdoor public interactive space.

Responds to the natural setting using a stone facade on the sunny south face to act as a heat sink, and provides a cool retreat from Girona’s heat in the arcade and the grotto below the structure.

Provides a sparkle that deserves the position at the head of the block, with tiny windows--like little sunlit portals--carved into the south stone facade mirroring the mapping of Old World’s courtyards scattered in random clus-ters throughout the city. These tiny windows allow slivers of sunlight to permeate the wall and reflect off the river below into the grotto, creating sparkle and providing the locals with a sense of long-term familiarity with a new structure.

PROGRAMATIC CONSIDERATIONS

Subterrainian

Outdoor Public AccessS

lower level gallery

Enclosed Space

lower level plaza seating & promenadealong river

Main Floor

office

main level plaza seating & promenade

stairs and ramp utilities

second floor gallery and visiting artist exhibitions

classrooms

Second Floor Third Floor

stairs elevator

second floor rooftop courtyardgarden

third floor artist studios

third floor rooftop courtyardgarden

fourth floor rooftop courtyardgarden

Fourth Floor

stairs elevatorartist residence

systems 21% lobby 2%circulation 7%mach 3%storage 5%office 4%

main level entrance gallery

biological

restrooms 5%kitchen 3%

community education 10%

Interactiveevent space 22%

event space

event space

event space

mach 3%storage 5%

lobby

restroomsrestroomsrestroomsrestrooms

kitchen kitchen

community gallery 20%


main level plaza




three visiting artistsworking studios 5%residence 10%

lower level gallery

stairs and elevator

event space

mach 3%storage 5%

restrooms

kitchen


stairs and elevator

open courtyard lobby

office


event space

restrooms

classrooms

main level plaza leading down to river

stairs and elevator

stairs and elevator


restrooms


event space

utilities

stairs and elevator

stairs and elevator



restrooms


kitchen stairs and elevator

stairs and elevator



stairs and elevatorfourth floor rooftop courtyardgarden


Subterrainian Main Floor Second Floor Third Floor Fourth Floor

stairs and ramp stairs elevator

artist residence

stairs and elevator

lower level gallery

stairs and elevator

event space

mach 3%storage 5%

restrooms

kitchen


stairs and elevator


office


event space

restrooms

classrooms


stairs and elevator

stairs and elevator


restrooms


event space

utilities

stairs and elevator

stairs and elevator



restrooms


kitchen

stairs and elevator

stairs and elevator



stairs and elevator



Subterrainian Main Floor

Second FloorThird Floor

Fourth Floor

stairs and elevator

artist residence

lower level gallery

stairs and elevator

event space

mach 3%storage 5%

restrooms

kitchen


stairs and elevator


office


event space

restrooms

classrooms


stairs and elevator

stairs and elevator


restrooms


event space

utilities

stairs and elevator

stairs and elevator



restrooms


kitchen

stairs and elevator

stairs and elevator



stairs and elevator





Fourth Floor

stairs and elevator

artist residence

lower level gallery

stairs and elevator

event space

mach 3%storage 5%

restrooms

kitchen


stairs and elevator


office


event space

restrooms

classrooms


stairs and elevator

stairs and elevator


restrooms


event space

utilities

stairs and elevator

stairs and elevator



restrooms


kitchen

stairs and elevator

stairs and elevator



stairs and elevator





Fourth Floor

stairs and elevator

artist residence

Evaluation of space needs:• Visitors’ Center on the main floor of the south section.

• Art Center and Classrooms on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the south section.

• Art Gallery on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the north section.

• Artist Residency at the top floor of the north section with rooftop gardens and shared living spaces.

• Indoor and outdoor public spaces.

UP

RIVER FLOW

STONE PATH

STONE FOUNDATION

UP

SUBLEVEL 1SUBLEVEL 2

UP

DN

LEVEL 1

LEVEL 4

DN

LEVEL 3

DN

LEVEL 2

RIVER GALLERY PLANSSUB LEVEL 2 THROUGH LEVEL 4

OUTDOORGALLERY

SUBTERRAINIANGROTTO

OPEN AIR PLAZA

GALLERY

GALLERY

ART CENTERCLASSROOM ART CENTER

CLASSROOM

LOBBYEYRIE

LOBBYEYRIE

LOBBYEYRIE

LOBBYEYRIE

GALLERY

GALLERYARTISTRESIDENCE

ARTISTRESIDENCE

GARDENPATIO

GARDENPATIO

SHAREDKITCHEN

ARTIST RESIDENCE

GALLERY GALLERY

BRIDGETO RAMBLA

VISITOR CENTER

RIVER GALLERY

RIVER GALLERY Engaging activity along the River’s edge

• Public arcade subterranean grotto space• Artist Gallery space• Private artist residence space• Art center and interactive classroom space

RIVER GALLERY ELEVATIONS

1/16" = 1'-0"SOUTH ELEVATIONWEST ELEVATION

NORTH ELEVATION 1/16" = 1'-0"EAST ELEVATION

VIEW FROM THE RAMBLAS

River Gallery Girona Spain

From the stone bridge connecting the eastern and western portions of the city is a view of the River Gallery. It stands comfortably among the surrounding Old Quarter structures. Its bold angles push and pull playfully with its eclectic neighbors. The river seems to flow through the structure, offering hints of light reflecting off the River Onyar and dancing across the surrounding walls. Tiny portals have been cut into the stone wall, letting in slivers of light that sparkle on the water in the cool shade beneath. An Intriguing space that draws visitors in.

A glass curtain wall slices through the center of the Gallery, offering a hint of activity with-in--a community event happening—triggering curiosity--compelling connection. The approach to the Gallery from the Rambla presents bold angles, but close up, the view reveals a curving foundation peeking from the subterranean level—the more hidden spac-es where water flows, calling people to cross over into the fissure leading to the Gallery and to the quiet cool enchanted spaces within and below the River Gallery.