Palacio de Congresos de Segovia, 1999

 

Unbuilt project

Location: Segovia

Author: Oscar Tusquets Blanca

Collaborators:

Coordination: Carles Díaz

Architect: Marcos Roger

Structure: Jesús Jiménez and Enric Torrent

Projected area: 4.800 m2.

In all our projects we try to take advantage of the singularity of the place, we imagine that the building can only be explained on that site and, therefore, is unique.
 
When looking at aerial photographs of the actual Teatro Cervantes area, what do we see? We see a rectangle on the weft of a beautiful historical district: we see it there, boxed, almost lacking of street facade, but with a side on the beautiful patio that shares with the spectacular Casa de los Picos. On the other side, we see it leaning against the awsome wall, wall that extends far away, crosses the legendary aqueduct, and becomes one of the hallmarks that distinguish such a beautiful city.
 
Our project takes advantage of this unique site in three different ways:
 
1)     It benefits from the courtyard as a visual extension of the room and a filtered light source. The room will inevitably be a little bit narrow, but if we open it to the court with a big glass façade we will make it much more spacious and bright. The orientation of this window is practically North so we will receive the nuanced and constant light of a painter’ study. The court is intimate and private, so it will not cause visual or acoustic disturbances to the occupants of the room; it can even be used for outdoor events and, of course, as a very pleasant relaxing space.
 
2)    It takes advantage of its strategic location making its housetop visitable. Can we imagine the breathtaking panorama that can be sight  from this elevated plaza, from the historical city center to the surrounding countryside, and the strict geometry of the aqueduct cutting the landscape like a stiletto.
 
3)     Exploits the wall as a defining element both from outside and inside. In the current theatre we are not at all aware that one of its sides is directly supported by the city wall. It is a shame, that is why we propose to rediscover this monumental wall, either by the external portion, that the  houses that have attaching still leave apparent, either by its internal side. This is how we will achieve a single room in the world, where one of its sides is a work of centuries, in its original state, with large boulders in sight,  top runner and battlements.
 
The ceiling of the room floats free, without touching the wall. In between, a fissure in glass allows a narrow beam of sunlight to get in during the day and, at night, leaves the characteristic crowning of the wall backlit.
We managed to extend Segovia wall about 70 meters just to make it arrive to one of the entrance gates to the ancient city.
 
OTB, 1999