HALO
ARENAS & ASOCIADOS
A FRIENDLY TOWER IN THE CITY OF VIGO
It stands up, warns and reassures anyone, either a motorised one or a human being.
The topography of the city can be daunting, whether you’re looking at it from the outside or from the inside with endless angles.
But the legs (at least some of them) don’t like it - and the car doesn’t come in handy: Would be anywhere to park? Will the construction of a lift damage the landscape?
This could be a thought that either one or other of the inhabitants or visitors to the city might have.
In this case, the sudden near or distant appearance is welcome.
The steel structure redesigns the skylight of Vigo, flying over it in a very light move, that unfolds and allows a better understanding of the city, openning up new angles of vision to the compact buildings at the low level and to the approach to nature: the mountains, the grandeur of the sea and the movement that the bay provides. It flies over streets and the motorway that cross the hillside at different levels.
At the end of the long stretch of the Portuguese coastline, the fingers of the sea and the land seams like clasp, in a multiplied contact.
A multiplied contact that is celebrated by the curved, split gallery that crowns the lift: either as an access or a contemplation.
Structurally and formally, the new tower thrills and relaxes. Apparently the whole city was waiting for it, like someone returning from a walk.
Pedestrians and aesthetes are able to be quiet, and the vehicle traffic to be calm.
Everything suggests that we’ll breathe better in Vigo.
ÁLVARO SIZA
WHAT’S BEHIND THE HALO
The Halo is doubtlessly a new key component for the mobility of the city of Vigo, serving as a pedestrian and cyclist connection between its lower and upper parts and crossing over the obstacle of the motorway entrance into the city. At the same time, it is a novel and relevant piece of architectural and engineering design—a functional sculpture with a simple yet fascinating geometry that can be walked through and experienced.
As an engineer, I find the hidden parts enabling the Halo’s self-evident, elegant appearance equally attractive as the latter. Its large circle seems to float effortlessly in the air, oblivious to the force of gravity—a perception that is aided by its pristine white surfaces conveying a utopian ideal quality. However, suspending a curved structure of 84 m in diameter with only three supports separated by more than 80 m requires a very powerful structure that must support not only its self-weight but also the live load of a footbridge 4.5 m wide and 190 m long. The engineers solved this challenge with a highly complex spatial truss weighing 800 tons, with multiple situations, meetings, nodes, joints, thicknesses, elements, forming the spine around which the project is built.
With the completed work, the structure is barely discernible through the white glass. But revisiting the construction photos, there is beauty in appreciating this hidden complexity within the outer simplicity, this internal skeleton that supports the finished work, making me wish I could remove and reattach the panelling at the touch of a button to see it. Undoubtedly, the strength and expressiveness of the project would not be the same on a different scale or under different support conditions; for example, if this circular structure was a building resting peacefully on the ground.
What particularly distinguishes the HALO is the unity of architecture and engineering. The striking result would not have been possible without architects interested in structures and engineers interested in architecture joining forces, leveraging synergies, and working together in the sense of ancient master builders. As a result, the structure does not limit itself to supporting and somehow making an architectural vision a reality, but enables and creates this vision by adapting sophisticated technical solutions to the expressive power of the project. I should add that good cooperation is necessary, but not sufficient for such an outstanding result.
In fact, exceptionally talented and passionate structural engineers were at work here, who are among the top experts worldwide in terms of structural design, typologies, materials, and construction processes.
This is highlighted, for example, in the elevator tower which is no conventional, tubular closed lattice structure (which would have been much easier to design), but adopts a C-shaped concrete structure facilitating uninterrupted views from the elevators. It is also reflected in the different typologies of the spatial truss structure, differentiating the open area with a more conventional symmetrical section from the covered area with a C-shaped section open towards the interior, and a single exterior truss girder arranged asymmetrically. This configuration requires mastering the structural challenges of the curved geometry in plan with its coupling of the structural behaviour of torsion and bending. In fact, the slender structure would not be possible without activating the roof and lower platform as horizontal lattices that laterally stabilize the beam and collaborate with its torsional performance—a sophisticated technical solution at the service of formal expressiveness, that can be appreciated and valued by the attentive and knowledgeable observer.
FEATURED WORK
HALO
VIGO, SPAIN
2020 - 2024
Authors
AM2 ARQUITECTOS
Alexandre Mouriño
ARENAS & ASOCIADOS
Miguel Sacristán Montesinos
NOARQ
José Carlos Nunes de Oliveira
Client
Concello de Vigo
Images all images © Attilio Fiumarella with exception of page 11, 62-63 © João Morgado and page 07 and 64 © Alexandre Mouriño
Project
AM2 ARQUITECTOS
Trinidad López
Elva Arce Álvarez
Maximino García Sánchez
ARENAS & ASOCIADOS
Guillermo Capellán Miguel
Emilio Merino Rasillo
José Ramón González Calvo
Javier Fernandez Antón
Alejandro Godoy Ansótegui
Julio González Zalduondo
Carlos Alonso Velasco
Pablo Garrido de Marcos
Rafael Arroyo Velasco
Isabel Ortiz Escudero
Jesús Posadas Carmona
Fátima Castillo Piñuela
José G. García Martín
Sara Perez Vegar
Carmen Urdinguio Yruela
NOARQ
Florencia Lucia Ruiz
Manuel Eduardo Lopez
Gonçalo José Almeida Ferreira
André Oliveira
Gaia Ferraris
Eduardo Kenji
Nuno Gonçalves
Daniela Amorim
Ana Nogueira
Manuel Eduardo Lopez
Constructor
Ferrovial Construcción – Oreco Balgón
Manager of the UTE
Guillermo Fernández Pellín (Ferrovial)
Site Manager
Alejandro Martín Velasco (Ferrovial)
Chief Of Execution
Diego Prado Dopeso (Oreco Balgón)
David García Ariza (topographer)
Alejandra Fernández Vázquez (technician PRL)
Raúl Cadenas Acebes (administrative)
Jesús Valea Debén (administrative)
Manuel Gómez Dantas (foreman)
Adolfo Enrique López Díaz (foreman)
Luis José González Rodríguez (oficial)
Vigo City Council Contract Manager
Jerónimo Centrón Castaños
Health and Safety Coordinator
Gianfranco Paolo Olivieri Guadalupi
Jaime Carlos Martinez Losada (adjunct)
Julio Millara (adjunct)
Contractors
Bent glass PONTEVEDRESA INDUSTRIAL
Solid surface BUTECH
Metal workshop HORTA COSLADA
Facade contractor KLADDIA
Concrete works ATESVI
Elevators SCHINDLER
Lighting SCHREDER
Lighting control LEDSCONTROL
Aerogenerators KLIUX
SPECIAL THANKS TO
Pereira Gil, Jesús; Abalde Alonso, Eduardo; Vilar Andrés, José Manuel; Alonso Rodriguez, Mariano; Pérez Pérez, Luis; Rodríguez González, Rubén; Requena Villanueva, Miguel; Beltre Mendez, Alejandro; Caro Chaves, Juan Carlos; Cañete Castellano, Fco. Javier; Requena Alcaide, Francisco Javier; Requena Villanueva, Antonio; Urda Catalin, Lazar; Santana Torres, Diomedes; Antón Marques, Ricardo; Acevedo Custodio, Santiago Alcides; Heredia Heredia, Braudilio; Villasante Carrera, Victor M.; Lima Nibra, Marco Filipe; Corria Coelho, José; Carvalho Crespo, Artur Jorge; Machado Coutinho Da Silva, Zeferino De Jesús; Pires Da Costa, Carlos Miguel; Lago Noceda, Pedro Agustín; Sullo Andagua, Juan Carlos; Miranda De Almeida, Paulo Manuel; Gonçalves Dias, Pedro Antonio; Do Vale Barbosa, Manuel Joaquim; Callampe Saico, Booz Josué; Correia, Amaro; Dias Loureiro, Oscar; Magalhaes Carvalho, Manuel De Jesús; Gil Pico, Sergio; Gracia Guerrero, Oscar Iván; Duque Rodriguez, Juan Carlos; Giraldo Charris, Luis Fernando; Medina Quintero, Eulogio; Niño Serrano, Sergio Alexander; Chinga Diéguez, Fausto Gabriel; Mestaza De La Cruz, Wilmer; Martins De Sousa, Adao; Adriano Paulino, Tomasini Pascual; Tomas De Sousa, Rui Miguel; Atapoma Gutiérrez, Antonio; Carhuas Arias, Yoel; Casachagua Berru, Chistian Yanpier; Casachagua Paredes, Chistian V; Paucar Paucar, Jhon; Quispe Panca, Edgar; Rodriguez Zevallos, George Peter; Ynfanzon Pure, Héctor; Curinuqui Gonzales, Orlando; Gallardo Gonzales, Héctor Abel; Hurtado Lujan, Hugo Hernán; Palomino Cure, Daniel; Ramos Quispe, Saul Angel; Vasquez Guevara, Samuel; Ayala Pardo, Luis Alberto; Padriona Gaspar, Daniel Osver; Colque Huaman, Michael; Salhua Mayna, Carlos Vicente ;Alves Leão, Emerson; Cardoso Pereira, Nuno Tiago; De Jesús Correia, Abílio; Pereira, Alfredo Ferreira; Da Costa Barbosa Nuno Filipe; Pal, Parwinder; Vieira Da Silva, Tiago Manuel ;Da Puga Soares, José Pedro; De Amorim Araújo, Luís Filipe; Martins Miranda, Joao Filipe; Vieira Lima, Filipe Daniel; Da Silva Fernandes, Rui Manuel; Gonçalves Martins, Paulo Jorge; Gonçalves Martins, César Augusto; Gonçalves Martins, Antonio Manuel; Carvalho Da Quinta, Helder Miguel; Boucinha Amaral, José Carlos; Lal, Parshotam; Martins Ferreira, Sergio Adelino; Pires De Abreu, Manuel; Singh, Harmanpreet; Correia
Núñez Núñez, Julio; Rodriguez Montes, Salvador; Alfonso Barciela, Alberto; Alfonso Barciela, Saul; Barros Fondevila, Nicolas; Diaz De Espada Cancio, Nicolas; Garralon Suarez, Marcos; Cabaleiro Rivas, David ;Bastida López, Lucas; López Fontao, Enrique; Rodriguez Méndez, Javier ;González Pereira, Marcos; Da Crus Rodriguez, Eduardo; Sanroman Vega, Sergio; López Ruibal, Diego; Méndez Misa Jose Manuel; Rodriguez Silva, Samuel ; Estevez Afonso, Francisco Javier; Alvarez Cordeiro, José Luís; Barreiro Figueroa, Roque; Silva Alonso, Juan; Vila Sueiro, Ivan Manuel; De Castro Meleiro, Vitor; Gómez Jiménez, Jesús; Álvarez López, Javier; Mallo Gonzalez, Aldo; Cajaraville Vecino, Manuel Gonzalo; Spataru, Constantin Catalin; Rios Bort, Manuel; Coaja Andrei, Ionut; Coaja, Ion; Tocariuc, Alexandru Eduard ; Ichim, Silviu Gabriel; Constantin Husu, Catalin; Zavoianu, Mihai; Guiral Palau, Vicente; Kennaoui, Aziz, Aziz ; Alvarez De Ponte, José Ramon; Niguema Bikie, Jose García Obiang ; Torrejón Diaz, Moisés; Alabarce Pérez, Celso Jose Francisco; Tajuelo Mayorga, Antonio Jose; Sabando Cobos, Eric Jordi; Sabando Guerrero, Javier Rene; Rosoga Mihai, Cristian; Vasile, Orbu; Spataru Silviu, Octavian ; Cuesta Marin, Ramses; Cuesta Martin, Yonay; Millos Costas, Francisco Javier; Lesende Rodriguez, Juan Jose; Martinez Mosquera, David; Borges Mejias, Edert Alejandro; Gonzalez Barreiro, Moisés; Fernandez Arribas, Joaquín; Ruibal Blanco, Héctor; Matamala Matamala, Exequiel Cristian; Gil Álvarez, José; Miranda Duran, Jose Joaquín; Estévez Otero, Javier ;Silva Alonso, Adrián; Teixeira Alves, Bruno Miguel; Alen Fandiño, Daniel; González Gómez, Carlos; González Cameselle, Álvaro; Sierpes Campo, Rubén; Diz Alonso, Adrián; Pereira Benade, Alex; García Pinto, Antonio; Rodríguez Barcala, Alejandro; Villar Freiria, Rubén; Goberna Comesaña , Marcos; Capelo Campo, Oscar; López Barbosa, Rubén; Pérez Rodriguez, Jorge; Lago Garrido, Samuel; Caride Sanroman, Pablo; Pérez Rodriguez, Jorge; Garcia Fariña, Pedro Nicolas; Mariut Robert, Alexandru; Forero Jiménez, Orlando; Herrera Valencia, Carlos Fernando; Fariña Trigo, Oscar; Gonzalez Catrufo, Daniel; Reyes Varela, Simón; Moar Quintela, Alberto; Álvarez Mariño, Javier; Coves Alonso, Jerry Jose ; Gonzalez Vázquez, Luis; Piñeiro Ferreira, Roberto Carlos; Quintana Beleiro, Juan Carlos; Vila Romero,
De Sousa, Ilidio Agostinho; Da Fonseca Silva, Sergio Manuel; Pereira Cardoso, Válter André; Saidy, Mustapha; Chong, José Manuel; Cainzos López, Manuel; Gonzalez Rodriguez, Gonzalo Jesús; Conde Des, Daniel; Provedo Doniz, Pablo; Benavente Salgado, Miguel Ángel; Castro Domínguez, Luís Enrique; Martínez Prieto, Antonio; Piñeiro Freiría, Fernando José; Rodríguez Rodríguez, José Benito; Gamallo Graña, José Antonio; Araújo González, José Manuel; Ares Blanco, Agustín; Balado Agrafojo, José; Lema Somoza, Daniel; Martínez Álvarez, Joaquín; Torres Gago, Salvador; Álvarez Caride, José; Álvarez Caride, Antonio; Barreiro Bernárdez, Avelino; Castro Macía, Avelino; Lema Somoza, Daniel; Barros Quinteiro, Eduardo; Benavente Salgado, Miguel Ángel; Alonso Rodríguez, Iván; Gil Fernández, Juan José; Lamazares Fuentes, Juan José; Domínguez Fernandez, Ricardo; Barbero Martínez, Celestino; Rodríguez Puime, Pedro Pablo ;Martins Dias, Vasco José; Martins Miranda, Joao Filipe ; García Sanmartin, Jose; De La Iglesia Darriba, Fredy; Carrizo Rial, Ricardo Luís; Durán Gómez, José Ramon; Mariño Romero, Jesús; Martinez García, José María, Silva Crespo, Daniel; Roldan Collado, Cayetano; Roca Vázquez, Jose Miguel; Fuentes Magariños, Manuel; Muñiz Álvarez, Juan Carlos; López Tojeiro, Jose Luis; Gonzalez Calo, Antonio; Fernandez Varela, Antonio; Giler Daza, Daniel ;López Durán, Óscar; Dávila Alonso, Julio ;Pereira Gasamans, Sandra; Sineiro Agra, José Angel; Diagne, Mayade; Rodriguez Flores, Adrián; Sineiro Agra, José Angel; Cisse, Omar; Vicente Pascual, Ernesto; Elías Gutiérrez, Alejandro; De Saa Misa, Cristian; García Neira, Jesús; Prado Tirado, Francisco Javier; Prado Tirado, José; Piñeiro Oubiña, Carlos; López Piñeiro, Iván ; Caracuel Rodriguez, José; Ciro Izquierdo, Arnold Stiwar; Hamdouch, Nordine; Lopez Brey, Ivan; Ruiz Gómez, Rubén; Tobar Aldana Milton, Binicio; Lara Boboy, Andrés; Fernandez Vilariño, Arturo ;Diaw Ndiaye, Ousmane; Diom, Banda; Suarez Alonso, José Ramon; Primoy Pucheta, Nicolas ;Dasi Acebrón, Marcos; Martinez Rodriguez, Francisco Eládio; Mendoza Pilatuña, Manuel Vicente; Rodriguez García, José Luís; Braños Comesaña, Manuel; Ordoñez Pajares, Jonathan; Pino Cobas, Américo; Vila Domínguez, Rubén; Belgourch Zouaghi, Noureddine; Dhikar Lahcen; Gonzalez Hernández, Miguel Angel; Safrioui, Mustapha ;
Victor; Alvarez Ferreiro Marco, Emílio; Rodriguez Italiani, José Eduardo; Rodriguez Italiani, Eloy; Camba Navia, Miguel; Piñeiro Dieste, Roberto; Pereira Juvino, Ramon; Pérez Pino, Manuel; Pino Míguez, Fernando; Rodriguez Duran, Severo; Rodriguez Tome, Enrique; Carballido Cameselle, Humberto Carlos; Méndez Paz, Francisco José; Omil Lois, Francisco Javier; Trokhymchuk, Andrii; Carrizo Villadangos, Oscar; Rodriguez Perteagudo, Iñigo; Cartón García Sergio; Cañas Del Cura Xabier; García López, José María; Pascalau, Costel; Pilco Mariño, Marlon Edison; Carabelos Muñiz, David; Sokrate Kanz, Younes; Dominguez Penelas, Jose Ramon; Cantorna Silva, Francisco; Casais Rogido, Avelino; Quiñoy Silvalde, Juan Antonio; Vilacoba Romero, Antonio; Cao Otero, Alfonso; Vilacoba Romero, Avelino; Fernandez Lago, Maximino; Iglesias Pérez, Rafael; Sousa Rodriguez, Jesús Alberto; Suárez Piñeiro, Francisco Javier; Fernández Treinta, María José; Vicente Barreiro, María Del Carmen; Fernandes De Barros Rodrigues, Pedro Manuel; Viñas Pino, José María; Braga Cunha, Emanuel; Magalhaes Moreira, Mário; Marques Gomes, Belchior ; Goce López, María Lourdes; Rodriguez Caride, Jacobo; Rodriguez García, Daniel; González Baloira, Luis; Barbeito Castro, Francisco; Fernández, Ma Luísa; López Garrido, José; Vicente, Ricardo; López Dacosta, Rubén; Versabe, Manuel; López, Jorge Juan; Ogando, Rubén; Gago Malvido, Francisco Javier; Barreiro, Juan Carlos; Moledo, Antonio; Barros, José; Fernández, Victor; Fernández Puga, Óscar; Piñeiro, Cesar; Vázquez, Javier; Quintana, David; Acuña, Sergio; Abraldes, Manuel; Chan, Fernando; Agrafojo, Carmen; Abilleira, Leopoldo; García, Christian; Calviño, Antía; Fernandez, Martín; Barbeito Otero, Francisco; González Barbeito, Iago; De Prado, Alberto; Ramos, Miguel Angel; Nayan, Lleonart; Ortega, Sara ; Rodríguez Domínguez, Abel; Pérez Rodríguez, Manuel; Rodríguez Castañón, Julio; Vidal Rey, Luis; Sotelo Quintas, Marcos; Caride Rial, Diego; Eguizábal, Iñaki; Eguizábal, Juan José; Pérez Romero, José Javier; Montes Posadas, Luis.
SPECIAL CONTRIBUTION
ATESVI
Concrete Civil Work
BUTECH
Facade Construction
FERROVIAL
Construction Company
HORTA COSLADA
Metal Structures
KLADDIA
Glass Facade Installation
ORECO BALGÓN
Construction Company
PONTEVEDRESA INDUSTRIAL
Glass Manufacturing
PUBLICATION
COLLECTION
AMAG LONG BOOKS
VOLUME LB 26
TITLE
AM2 ARQUITECTOS
ARENAS & ASOCIADOS NOARQ halo
ISBN 978-989-35767-3-1
PUBLICATION
DATE November 2024
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AND GENERAL MANAGER
Ana Leal
EDITORIAL TEAM
Ana Leal, architect
Filipa Figueiredo Ferreira, designer João Soares, architect Ricardo Figueiredo, designer
PRINTING Graficamares
LEGAL DEPOSIT 480255/21
RUN NUMBER
spanish edition /250 numbered copies
english edition /1000 numbered copies
PUBLISHER AND OWNER
AMAG publisher
VAT NUMBER 513 818 367
CONTACTS hello@amagpublisher.com www.amagpublisher.com
LONG BOOKS COLECCIÓN
LB 01 DAVID ADJAYE mole house
LB 02 NICHOLAS BURNS guimarães chapel
LB 03 DAVID ADJAYE the webster
LB 04 CARVALHO ARAÚJO casa na caniçada
LB 05 ANDRÉ CAMPOS | JOANA MENDES centro coordenador de transportes
LB 06 ANDRÉ CAMPOS | JOANA MENDES PEDRO GUEDES DE OLIVEIRA fábrica em barcelos
LB 07 DAVID ADJAYE winter park library & events center
LB 08 DAVID ADJAYE 130 william tower
LB 09 BRANDENBERGER KLOTER ARCHITECTS community hall laufenburg
LB 10 BRANDENBERGER KLOTER ARCHITECTS
school pfeffingen
LB 11 BRANDENBERGER KLOTER ARCHITECTS
double kindergarten rüti
LB 12 BRANDENBERGER KLOTER ARCHITECTS
school aarwangen
LB 13 BRANDENBERGER KLOTER ARCHITECTS
school birrwil
LB 14 ANGELO CANDALEPAS the castle
LB 15 PAUL MURDOCH ARCHITECTS
flight 93 national memorial
LB 16 ÁLVARO SIZA monte da lapa volume l
LB 17 SO – IL amant
LB 18 AFF spore initiative
LB 19 LYNCH ARCHITECTS n2
LB 20 VIANA DE LIMA casa das marinhas
LB 21 SPASM parikrama house
LB 22 JOSEP FERRANDO social center
LB 23 SJB 19 waterloo Street
LB 24 KENGO KUMA cam
LB 25 TOMOAKI UNO terabe guest house
LB 26 AM2 ARQUITECTOS | ARENAS & ASOCIADOS | NOARQ halo, is the twenty-sixth title from LONG BOOKS COLLECTION.
