Marije Brans, The 2nd Coast - Barcelona

MARIJE BRANS

P5 The 2nd Coast - Barcelona

SOLEDAD

612106

Based on a novel by Víctor Català

CATALUNYA

Based on a novel by Víctor Català from 1904, takes you on a journey through the mountains of El Montgrí. The story reveals the nature in complete solitude. In the diversity of the landscape in combination with the existing elements, the story of Mila will come to life. Experiencing the lowest point in the Vall Santa Caterina all the way up on the mountain top of Montplá. Making the connection through architecture.

El Mongrí Mountains

Bellcaire d’Empordà

scale 1:15000

“Ridorta”

N

“c an

al

he de tp ad Tr va en nd c eg a eb ca ro m ke e nb s en ” en

Vall Petita de Santa Caterina

More than a hundred years ago Caterina Albert published under the male pseudonym Víctor Català the novel Solitude.

This book is considered to be the most important Catalan novel before the Spanish Civil War. Caterina Albert was born and raised in the region of the El Mongrí and the landscape inspired her to write about it.

Shepherd's hut

Roquis Petit Puig de les Cogullades

Val l

Solitude tells the tragic story of a young woman who is fully surrendered to a life of seclusion. Out of obedience to her husband, she follows him into the mountains to a hermit existence.

When time passes, she decides one day to leave her husband and take matters into her own hands.

Gorga de les Tres Pintetes

kleine rots

de

Planell de la Fita

kolk van de drie kammen

uitkijk plateau

Cresta del Follet

kam van het dwaallicht

Roquis Santa-Pons Roca Galera

San ta C

Niña Blava

middel rots

Roquis Mitja

Shepherd's hut

ate ri

blauw meisje (rots)

berg als walvisrug

na

Puig Anill

Punta de Miranius

Barranc Negre zwarte kloof

Puig Roig Ermita de Santa Caterina

Mas Reguinell Sint-Ponshoeve

Ermita Santa-Pons

bergkam

Bau de les Olives

be

Salt del Crestat

Sang Malargbeek

This journey is a narrative based design that follows the footsteps of the main character, Mila. Connecting the paths to her experience and the architectural elements to her emotions of solitude.

Puig Rodó Cabiroles

Pas van de Reeen

olijvenkloof

Cau del Duc d’Ullà grotten van Bellsora

Orifany or Volva olifant

de

Pas de Llop

Br am

Roquis Alt

wolvenpas

hoge rots

Coll de la Creu memorial cross grote rots

Roquis Gros de Montgri

Antiga les capelles de Santa Caterina Castella Antiga les capelles de Santa Pons Cau del Duc Torroella grotten van Bellsora

Peu de Gall

br on

hanenpoot (bergkam)

Pas de Llamps

hoge top

pas de bliksem

Cimalt Montplà

L’Orgue

L’Ull de Corberes

Anap dek Rei (bergkam)

ravenoog

Castell de Montgrí Forn de Calç Calavera knekelbaan -kalkrotsen-

Torroella de Montgri “Murons”

Bellcaire d’Empordà Ridorta

Bellcaire d’Empordà

Verges

TRAIL AND PATHWAY The story begins at Mila’s hometown, Verges. Hidden in ground there is a trail.

Fifty small limestone discs with an imprint of the title of the novel. Following these discs alongside the river stream leads into the mountain.

“Hidden within these mountains lies a path.

A story unspoken for in years...

Here the trail ends and a new path will reveal itself.”

Ciutat natal Verges

river de Ter

The pathway picks up on routes she took during her stay in the mountain.

Landscape elements give guides along the way. They are giving point of directions, facilitate the path or imparting experience due to objects in the landscape.

Torroella de Montgri

LEVEL 1 ELEMENTS EMOTIONAL RELATIONS

The four architectural elements placed in the landscape will give you the happening to experience solitude in different ways. The experience, based on the emotions of Mila, are Captivity, Silence, Closed in and Void, they express that she felt solitary. The locations of the elements are corresponding with the time frame of the book.

The elements are cut-out limestone walls which relates to the landscape. The reflecting parts are made out of aluminum and mirror the surrounding.

1.

LEVEL 2 PATHWAYS VISUAL RELATIONS

2.

3.

The pathway is the visual experience you have with the novel. It follows the footsteps of Mila and takes you through the mountains, exploring the beautiful views. Different objects and landscape elements pointing you in the direction of the on-going path. The object and elements are made out of limestone which connects them with the natural environment.

4.

LEVEL 3 MOUNTAIN PHYSICAL RELATIONS

The El Mongrí Mountains are the fundament as well for the book as the journey. Caterina Albert used the mountains as inspiration to write the story. Based on the story, the fiction based story line is to be experienced by the architectural elements with are added to the mountain landscape. The nonfiction story lines are the pathway and the already existing structures within the landscape, e.g. Ermita de Santa Caterina (Ermita de Santa Pons).

1. Limestone path that reflects Mila’s sense of

insecurity.

2. Seating element in the shape of a rose. The

rose is the symbol for Santa Pons to honor him.

3. Signpost also rest point with chapter numbering

to read and follow the novel during the journey.

4. Staircase to facilitate the path to the valley.

CAPTIVITYin solitude

Captivity Captivity relates to the emotions Mila went through in the beginning of the novel. By docility in her marriage, Mila needed to leave her previous life and needed to break all relations with her past.

situation 1:2000

To disconnect the explorer with the outside world, Captivity is a wall. From a distance the experience is a solid wall, walking up to a dead end. Coming closer, the wall opens up in different slots where the explorer can pass.

The back side of the wall reflects its surrounding and make the wall disappear in the landscape. The wall is shaped out of multiple other limestone plates and are sculpturing the mountain hill in the background.

section scale 1:100

SILENCE in solitude

floor plan scale 1:200

artist impression Silence Silence is the literal form in solitude Mila could get due to abandonment of her husband and visitors. Because of environmental change and the disappointment they have given her, Mila was alone in the middle of the landscape, left with only the echo of herself against the mountaintops.

situation 1:2000

The architectural element of silence gives the explorer the feeling of solitude by total silence. Trees are used to create the first natural sound barrier. Two round walls create the second barrier with a narrow corridor. The inner circle reflects yourself and the mountain in total silence.

The two round walls are made out of limestone and the inner circle is overlaid with aluminum. The mountain breaks through the round wall and comes in to the circle.

section scale 1:100

floor plan scale 1:100

artist impression

CLOSED IN in solitude

Closed in Closed in is the last trip Mila makes with her beloved friend. He promised to bring her to the highest mountaintop of the El MongrĂ­.

During that trip Mila struggles with her emotions. She suffers from a depression and is losing sight of her future.

situation 1:2000

Closed in is an expression of her disoriented feeling of striking emotions. Multiple limestone plates form together a wall, making the explorer cross a path without guidance.

In the linear line of this wall, three cuts were made. Two of these cuts are looking back to the past, Captivity and Silence. The third is looking back to yourself. The point of viewing is made out of aluminum plates instead of limestone and are bend in the direction of sight.

At the end of the wall is the highest mountaintop of the El MongrĂ­ which gives a great view of the area all the way to the sea coast.

section scale 1:200

VOID in solitude

floor plan scale 1:200

artist impression Void

The void relates to Mila’s feelings of emptiness. She is dealing with a lot of pain and suffering due to the loss of her beloved friend, her broken marriage and the people around her are alienated and disowned. At the end she decides to leave the mountain region.

situation 1:2000

The void reflect ion the shattered life she has, like a broken mirror, covering the mountain with aluminum shards. Coming down from the hill the explorer walks over these shards. They are reflecting the sky in a strange perspective.

Standing on top of these pieces you are in the middle of the two voids, the endless sky above and the shards that cuts endless holes inside the mountain mirroring the sky. In front of the explorer is a platform that leads in the abyss.

section scale 1:50

artist impression