CASA MANDELA
The purpose of the project is to design a house for an international character, according to the character; design the areas needed. Nelson Mandela spent most of his life in the jail, for which he didn’t have much freedom. Nelson Mandela was a very punctual man, he didn’t like unpunctuality. In his spare-time, he enjoyed listening to Handel or Tchaikovsky watching the sunset. His favorite dishes were, having fruits and milk for breakfast, fresh meat of sheep, prepared traditionally. Also he enjoyed drinking Mageu, a traditional South African drink made of fermented corn. Nelson Mandela has fought to free his country against the white people. The Terrain is located in the center of the city, the “Barrio Antiguo”. It is the Monterrey’s oldest neighborhood, and downtown. The site is full of culture and tradition, which can be seen in its architecture, and culture, like the museum Marco, or the Palacio de Gobierno (Government Palace), or the Macro Plaza. Also in this site, most of the political activities take place. At the North, Santa Lucia is located. A place visited by many people, because of it’s beauty and of it’s variety of activities that can take place, like musicians, artists, etc. And also because at night many lights illuminate the place beautifully. At the East, La Finca departments are located, a housing for the people who live in Barrio Antiguo. And at the West and South, Classical and Mexican traditional type houses are located.
Floor Plan 1
Floor Plan 2
Project
By the “needs” I started designing the project. Mainly, the house is divided into Private space to Public, by the importance of Mandela, and his joy of meeting people. The House where most of the private activities take place, like his reading or studying to meeting with close friends. Then at the back of the house, where the terrace and barbacue area is, where many people can enjoy a moment together with Mandela, in a greater scale. Then the Garden which connects to a completely Public area, the Paseo Santa Lucia. All of the areas have a view to Santa Lucia or to the La Silla mountain depending on it’s orientation. On the First Floor, there’s the entry, followed by the hall, then you can choose to go up the stairs to the second floor or go to the social area, where the kitchen/ dining room and the living room are. The living room also have stairs to Mandela’s room. So he does not have to move all the way around to get to the living room. From the dining room, there’s a glass door with a view to Mandela’s personal garden, that connect to Paseo Santa Lucia. And between the house and the garden, there’s is an open space, a social area for Mandela and his guests to enjoy barbacue. On the second floor, there is a hall, from which you can choose to go to the terrace; with the view to La Silla Mountain. Or choose to go to Mandela’s room or to his reading/ study room. The room with the view to La Silla mountain and the reading room with the view to Santa Lucia.
North Elevation
South Elevation
The house has openings depending on the views and the rooms. So each room have a view to the mountains or the Santa Lucia River. In this case the guest room and Mandela’s room have the views to the Mountain, to the south. On the other hand, The study area and the dining/ living room have the view to the Santa Lucia River.
Section B-B’
Section C-C’
Section D-D’
CREVALCORE MEMORIAL
On 20 May of 2012, an earthquake shook the middle- northen part of Italy, destroying many ancient buildings and transforming many inner cities into abandoned ruins. The economic problem, or ‘crisis’, makes reconstruction imposible. So in the workshop we decided to rethink and redesign the quake-lefted gaps. Filling them in, or changing one building by another one different. Or just leaving the structure but giving them another use.
Buildings damaged by Earthquake
MEMORIAL
The memorial is burried in the terrain, 3 meters under. In the memorial I decided to make seven appertures, which mean the 7 people who passed away because of the earthquake. Somehing to remember them. Also seven cylindrical stones with theirs names carved on it. The appertures let natural light get into the memorial, creating a dark and calm atmosphere. Which reect the stones with the names on it. Also the roof of the memorial can be used as a resting place, to read or to seat, and when seeing at the appertures, it invites people to get in and remember the day of the earthquake.
HOTEL TALASSOTERAPIA
The actual project is unfinished, some of the houses are complete, but none of the interior is finished. At the back part of the complex, there is a unfinished concrete structure, with no walls, just columns and roofs. Originally it consisted of an massive urbanization, which started in the year 2000. The houses are filled with grafittis, and the entrance is blocked so no one has access to. So the purpose of this workshop was to recycle the existing structures transforming it into a Thalassotherapy Center. And give the reused structures a new use. So the first thing I wanted to do was to make a sustainable place, where it could mantain itself without the need of outer resources. Also because of Tenerife’s nice weather, not hot or cold, I was able to use it in favor to use natural ventilation and natural lights without needing to worry about weather the area would get cold or hot, depending on the season. The Second thing is a central Terrace/Jardin, with the view to the Sea on the West and the mountain on the East, taking advantage of the different levels of the terrain. The Third was to use the local plants to fill in the Central Jardin. A Draco (a local symbolic tree) in the center.
ACTUAL PROJECT
The actual project has been abandoned and left unfinished. Most of the houses or rooms are done, without the interior design. At the back of the complex, there is a huge concrete structure, unfinished too, only with columns and its floors. The borders are kind of finished, the walls are done and decorated with some bushes. The connections of the paths are confusing, and some lead to nothing. It is not sure if the houses are oriented for the views to the sea, because of their positions on the terrain. Also, the concrete structure seem to be made to be a parking place for visitors.
Each individual rooms don’t have an architectural language. It has square windows, arched walls and gable-roofs. So it has a mixture of many elements. It is unknown who built these houses, nor its idea and uses for them. So I’ve decide to make some changes for it and to give it a different language and design. Also change its interior, from it’s material to the areas.
PROJECT
The ďŹ rst thing I wanted to do was to make a sustainable place, where it could mantain itself without the need of outer resources. Also because of Tenerife’s nice weather, not hot or cold, I was able to use it in favor to use natural ventilation and natural lights without needing to worry about weather the area would get cold or hot, depending on the season. The Second thing is a central Terrace/ Jardin, with the view to the Sea on the West and the mountain on the East, taking advantage of the different levels of the terrain. The Third was to use the local plants to ďŹ ll in the Central Jardin. A Draco in the center.
To create a sustainable place, I started analyzing the places and its uses. Then their uses or needs and their disposals. Some places need other places disposals or wastes. So something that is wasted by one place can be used by other places that can produce something that other places need. For example, the restaurant needs electricity, water, gas and food; from which can be obtained in the water treatment, natural energy plants, biodigester and the vegetable garden. And the restaurant produces oil and food waste, that can be used in the vegetable garden.
Floor Plan
Section
The complex is arranged in a way so from the entrance you can see the Vegetable Garden, connecting to the Lobby, where the view to the inside is limited. After getting out of the lobby to the rooms, the view opens to the Central Patio, a big patio with local vegetation, and in the middle with a Draco Tree, a local symbolic tree. The rooms are surrounding the Patio, this is because the existing structures are being recycled. Each room have the view to the sea and have natural ventilation and lightning. Then in the middle of the terrain the restaurant is located, which connects to the Talassotheraphy center, which is located on the back.
Floor Plan
Views from inside the room
Floor Plan