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Hill, castle and discretion!

Aiete palace

Architects: Isuuru arquitectos - Aitzpea Lazkano Orbegozo - Carlos Abadías Banzo

Location: San Sebastian, Spain

Project year: 2010

Photographs:  Jesús Martín Ruiz

Exterior view

Located in the monumental Aiete Park, the program for this site included a Cultural Center and  a House of Peace. The project also required the rehabilitation of the Palace of Aiete, a building that was built by the dukes of Bailen in 1878 and holds great historical value to the city of San Sebastian.

The project was to find a balance between program needs and possibilities of the Palace focusing on providing a balance that would maintain the essential nature of the pre-existence structure. 

Interior view

The key action has been to place the House of Peace on the main floor of the palace. Located on the second floor are the workshop exhibition areas and the Cultural Center, connecting to the new building, half buried by the stairwell of service.
The project also proposes a way to use the building that enhances the spatial structure: the House of Peace can function independently from the rest of the Cultural Center by using the main staircas of the Palace.

Longitudinal section

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Mecanics stairs of Toledo

Architects: José Antonio Martínez Lapeña  &  Elías Torres Architects
Location: Toledo, Spain
Project year: 2001
Photographs:  Landezine

Exterior view.

The project give an easy access to the hill, you enter in the monumental area, eliminating the traffic inside while quality improves tourism is permitted. The construction is aesthetically modern and at the same time discreet. From the outside, a large field covered leaves just a slit on the hill without damaging the surface of the hill.

Interior view.

Inside, the space is reinforced by concrete (tried to get a camouflage background) allows an outlet inside the staircase. The minimalist but deconstructivist ways create a very powerful asset evocative definition of space. As if that was not enought, during practice entry, visitors can have a view on the beautiful valley of the Tagus.

Structural section.