The design brief consists of 4.600 m2 of cultural spaces (music school, theatre, workshop rooms, conference rooms, etc) and 3.000 m2 of parking space.

Our proposal, called Kultur Plataformak/Platforms of Culture, is organized in four terraced levels. These cultural levels are inserted in the slope and form a whole with the existing terrain. By doing so, on one hand we create a new cultural face towards the main street and on the other hand, we preserve the small scale of the upper street as the surrounding volumes do too.

The terraced landscape solves the existing disconnection between the upper and lower part of the city (16 meters difference in height). It also offers a new green and pleasant pedestrian route across the area which will improve the use of the new Cultural Centre.

The different functions are organized around a vertical street. This street has a very public character and it stays permanently open to be used as a public elevator.

SUMMARY

Location: Hernani, Spain

Program: Civic centre, music school, theatre , exhibition space and parking space

Client: Municipality of Hernani

Area: 7.600 m²

Architect: laura alvarez architecture

Year: 2010

Status: Competition SECOND PRIZE