PAULA BENĂ?TEZ RUIZ
PORTFOLIO >> selected works about architecture, urban design & more
HI! MY NAME IS PAULA BENITEZ RUIZ I’m an architect, University of Málaga ‘08-’14. I love travelling, challenging myself and always to get the most out of every situation. b.o.d : 25th october 90 in Málaga, Spain I also studied at UNC Charlotte, USA and Politechnika Poznanska, Poland I have worked as an intern architect I have worked in Málaga, Marbella & Budapest. I am good at sketching, diagramming, photography, autocad, sketchup, revit, vray, photoshop, illustrator, indesign, m office... I got several prizes in achitecture competitions and have been granted merit scholarships. paulabenitezruiz@gmail.com
CONTENT
6
18
‘elderly house & spa’
‘seaside promenade’
final project, housing
landscape & urban furniture
24
‘exhibition & sports’ landscape & city facilities
30
‘urban furniture’ furniture and techtonics
36
40
48
52
‘kit for empty plots’
‘interpretation center & hotel’
‘dreams box’
‘alabaster, Jaume Plensa’
urban revitalization
landscape & ancient ruins & hotel
multipurpose element
itinerant outdoor exhibition
DESIGN PROCCESS Analysis is always a crucial phase in my conception proccess. It leads me to not only to know the matter but also to uncover some key facts in order to achieve an unique proposal, different from any other.
WHO?
WHERE?
WHAT?
WHY?
Individually or as a team
the top of a mountain or the coastline
a home for old people or a 3km2 sidewalk.
architecture for tourists or for a neglected area.
architcture is made by taking decisions by yourself or with others.
architecture needs to find the sense of the place.
architecture is in: urban desing, landscape, houisng, furniture...
architecture is able to improve people’s life.
ELDERLY HOME & SPA final project - grade: outstanding WHEN 2014-9 months WHO me WHERE Goleta neighborhood, Mรกlaga, Spain WHAT housing for elderly, hidrotherapy complex and day care center.
WHY Spanish population is ageing at a great speed, and therefore, the need of spaces for those with special needs is growing. Both homes and day care centers are already essential in our society. Working on La Goleta area adds a problem to the design. Although it borthers with the city center, the neighbourhood and its inhabitants are degraded, neglected and deteriorated.
THE NEIGHBOURHOOD La Goleta area is made of a dense and compact urban fabric. Abandoned buildings, empty sites (mainly resulting from non-accessible pedestrian streets), lack of green areas and public spaces, facilities THE NEIGHBOURS The low educational level and all the other things that involves (unemployment, marginalization, crime...) was a significant fact. La Goleta population is totally worn, and requires a prompt intervention starting at the most basic social principles THE ELDERS As if the neighbourhood problems weren’t enough, the program for the site consisted of a geriatric complex . I thought I could take advantage of this need to create something that could help everyone at once. Basic principles and knowledge need to be recovered by both the neighborhood and its inhabitants.
Neighbourhood plan
traditional ideas to introduce
1940. traditional life
2014. neglected area
outdoors life
Elderly home
traditional knowledge
Groundfloor
winding routes
Pre-existances My design home privacy
occupied empty plot
occupied empty plot abandoned building
north elevation and cross section
rooms types
Single room
Independent apartments
Double room
The rooms were designed according to the regulations for elderly homes in Andalucia. While the independent residents homes are inside the occupied building, the regular ones are in the white sections of the main building.
MY IDEA My proposal consists in the exchange: elders will share their knowledge in return for an acceptance feeling and other knowledge they lack of. My design is about bringing back the traditional values and principles through architecture and people
1.abandoned building > home for independent elderly & hairdresser + pharmacy. (19th century housing)
2.abandoned building > homes for independetn elderly & podiatrist. (19th century housing)
The architecture will have traditional qualities as winding ways, outdoor activities, privacy at home.. Elderlies will also bring their valuable popular knowledge adquired through experience.
THE BUILDING While the ground floor is totally open to the street the higher floors are private, they belong to the elderly home and only the residents have access to it.
3. elderly home
The elderly home building has two different type of areas: rooms area and common areas. The first ones will be places along the “white�volumes and the second ones inside the brown ones.
5. public ground floor > day care center, bike parking, restaurant, library, wi-fi room... 4. hydrotherapy. (mid20th century conrete dome)
Spaces
feet tactile flooring
ground floor= 100% public
rooms face street
private terrace for residents facade and transparency
Hydrotherapy treatments
baths
arms & legs
View from the pools to the inner street
drinked water
pools
showers
Cross section alonf the metal mesh facade
Joining detauls
joining between tiles and vegetation
joining between facade and structure
joining between f acade and ceiling
Metal mesh facade
GRC Stud Frame facade
The facade system consisted in a main light wall layer and a secondary mesh that protected the building from the direct sun light. An auxiliar steel structrure held the covering.
The GRC panels were the last layer of this ventilated facade, consisnting in an insulated interior layer and an exterior one that was fixed to the concrete structure of the building.
Structural calculations and details
Building Instatallations
electrical systems & lighting
heating, air conditioning & ventilation
water systems & sewage
SEA SIDE PROMENADE
Málaga Crea 2011
urban design and landscape architecture WHEN 2010. 5 weeks WHO me + alejandro martín WHERE East Malaga WHAT redesign the seaside
WHY East Málaga sea side promenade is used every day by thousands of people. In spite of that, there are many things to improve in it: vehicles travel at a very high speed and very close to the people, bikers scares runners, runners annoy walkers and walker bother all the previos ones. A 3km walk that starts very close to the city center and ends at El Palo neighbourhood.
Site analysus Limonar
La Caleta
La Malagueta
500 m 15 floors beach
650 m 7 floors beach
Bellavista
550 m 3 floors beach
Banos Carmen
850 m 2 floors rocks
400 m 3 floors beach
Population
Greenary
Restaurant & Leisure
Playgrounds
Sport facilities
Avoid a straight direction
New activities
ANALYSIS CONLUSSIONS It is indeed a great area with a great potential in Málaga. However, users’ different speeds make it dangerous, urban furniture is not comfortable, beach accesses are limited, the promenade is disconnected to the city. IDEA Our design consisted in the separation of every kind of user, depending on their moving speed and the exinction of a single linear route. Three different paths would gradually change their materiality and height according to people’s speed and activities. Circular shapes landmarks would prevent walkers from keeping a straight route. Different uses along the promanade would supply all the needs in the area, attracting new users.
NEW ACTIVITIES The circles contain different uses and varies depending on the part of the promenade they are inserted. While the western side is more like a urban space with high building and high density, the eastern present larger green areas and spread family houses. USERS It was designed to suit any kind of user. Instead of creating a common walking coreography, each type of person could choose the activities they wish to do. The diagram on the right side reflects this idea, proposing a pattern according to the user. THE CAR Cars circulation is buried from La Malagueta to Bella Vista areas, as restaurant the space destined to be part of the promenade was too close to them. Drivers can park their cars next to the sea thanks to the car parking.
playground sports cultural parking access
sports
exhibition
restaurant
parking access
water
river
greenary
greenary
User’s activities
pa
sports
arking access
playground greenary sports
cutural restaurant
Levels and connections
circles
Cross section and views from el Limonar
square
ramps
water cultural
step
URBAN FURNITURE furniture and techntonics WHEN 2010 .4 weeks WHO me WHERE East Mรกlaga WHAT Zoom in a chosen portion of the previously designed sea promenade in order to be more specific about its features.
WHY As we had already planned a 3 km long walk along the sea side, detailed design was needed, such as furniture, materials, textures and shapes.
Foor plan and speed section
+3.3m
+3.3m
+3.3m
+3.7m +3.6m
+3.7m
+3.3m
+3.3m +3.3m
+0m
+0.5m
+0.5m +0.5m +0m
50 km/h
15 km/h
+0m
0 km/h
+0m
3 km/h 10 km/h
Adaptive furniture
Exhibition space cross section My goal was to create a space that could be used by people from all ages. The urban furniture would be adapted to all kind of interests and possibilities. The promenade would be divided into five main parts, according to poeple speed and activities: cars, bikes, green space, walking path, and sport path. This last one would be link to the water activities.
Section and perspective view
Furniture
EXHIBITION AND SPORTS CENTER landscape and public facilities WHEN 2010-11 . 5 weeks WHO me WHERE Los BaĂąos del Carmen, MĂĄlaga WHAT we had to continue the previous promenade, exhibition space and sports facilities.
WHY At a third stage of the sea side promenade design, we were individually asked to continue somehow the promanade and create several exhibition halls and a sports facilities, containing fields and a swimming pool. The site was originally occupied by a 19th century spa resort. Nowadays, only a small part of the original building remains visible and the whole site is in a state of abandonment and run.
ANALYSIS CONLCUSIONS The logical way to procceed was, from my point of view, to keep the same language as in the previous sea promenade. The value of the site was a large mass of eucaliptus that brings a special athmosphere to it. IDEA Keeping the separeted paths that were firstly proposed at the promenade, this new are would work the same way. The difference was be that a new third dimension was introduced. The ground would be lifted up to house different uses urderneath. Between the seaside and the city the is a dense green area that separates boths athmospheres. It will be kept and restored, in order to create a big park. Two different buildings will be placed under the urban path. They would have 3 floors, one of them underground.
Western beach Eastern beach FLOODING PATH
Basketball court Tennis court Building a + 3.5m Exhibition room + 0.5m Public changing room
Building b + 3.5m Public library + 0.5m Indoor swimming pool
GREEN PATH
N
Material and trees
Pedregalejo
SPORTS PATH URBAN PATH
Syte plan
Lanch tree wood -low water absorption -sea water resistant -anti-slip -insulating
Sandstone
Phoenix canariensis -10-20 m -evergreen -adapts easily -umbrella shadow
Eucalyptus camadulensis
-low water absorption -mechanic resistant -anti-slip -insulating & reflectsant
-up to 60 m heigh -evergreen -wind resistant -prevent weeds
Paths and activities GREEN AREA fountaints
climbing
swings
slides
GREEN PATH boats storage
outdoor cinema
theatre
baths area
tennis court
basketball court
SPORTS PATH
Cross section and views
Building b floor plans First floor (+6.8m)
Undergorund floor (+0.5,m)
Ground floor (+3.5,m)
In contrast to the promenade’s shapes and varying widths, the building under the urban path follows a simple grid. It consists of three floors, one underground and a outdoor one.
The space was designed to be flexibile and easy to transform. Spinning pannels and furniture allow the users to change the layoutof the rooms, according to their needs.
KIT FOR EMPTY PLOTS urban revitalization WHEN 2010-11 . 4 weeks WHO me + azahara gil, juan pedro tapoa and alejandro martín. WHERE Málaga Old Town WHAT occupation of an empty plot to create a acting pattern.
Málaga Crea 2012 UMA Emprende 2011
WHY Due to the economical crisis, which has strongly afffected to the construction sector in Spain, and specifically in touristic cities like Málaga.; many plots in the city are empty. These empty and abandoned sites bring problems and create a strong visual impact specially in the Old Town area. At the same time, they have a great potential thanks to its location.
CONCLUSIONS & IDEA We decided to create a patterned intervention that could be applied to any existing or new empty plot. We designed a service that could be contacted by the emty plots owners in order to make them profitable not only for the citiziens but also for themselves. Every plot would start having a “basic kit� and new services will be added up, depending on the location of the plot. Reusing construction utilities that recently fell intro desuse would supply the plots with cheap materials. to build urban furniture and facilities.
PROJECT STEPS
STEP 1: APPLY apply for a basic kit, and add up all you need.
STEP 2: GET KIT STEP 3:ADVERTISE get your kit, advertise it! let prepare your everyone know a plot, and set it up. new plot is open!
STEP 5: RECYCLE can you build on your site? pack your kits and other empty plot will
STEP 4:USE enjoy and arrange the maintenance.
PLOT #03: PLAYGROUND site location: city center site type: playground owner: private components: basic kit+playgrounds +stage sitting & relax
playground
greenary
advertising green scaffolding
playground advertising
stage
wc
310 € projection
exhibition
250 €
250 € 800 € PLOT #09: LEISURE
INTERPRETATION CENTER & HOTEL landscape architecture and urban furniture` WHEN 2010-11 . 5 weeks WHO me WHERE Acinipo, Ronda, Målaga. WHAT enhance the archeological site’s potential through an interpretation center and a hotel.
WHY Acipino was a city created for retired soldiers from the Roman legions more than 2,000 years ago. Thermal baths, homes and a theatre remains can be still found at the site. Insipite of its great value, very few people visit it every year due to the poor information about the area and the lack of facilities around it. It is located 22 km away from the closest town, so private transport is essential to get to it.
paragliding area
Visitos coreography
viewpoints roman theatre
viewpoint roman domus
roman thermal baths
car parks
hotel rooms
interpretation center
car park
hotel common areas
on foot by car
ANALYSIS CONLCUSION The study site was an unique spot. Not only because of the existence of ruins but also because of its physical features. It consists of a sloping meseta with a difference of 80 meters from the lowest to the highes point of it. Therefore, enhancing the whole site was the main goal.
IDEA The customers coreography was designed from the moment they arrived to the site and was guided around the building. Light corten steel archs, suggested itineraries to visitors around the natural place. The designed aimed to teach about the culture and nature using different paths.
s
Cross section
Different activities were created to attract new visitos. Besides, Acinipo is a windy area, frequented by paraglading lovers, so a flying school and jumping spots were designed to support this sport.
Techtonics and frames
Any intervention at Acipino shoud have concern for the site.. In order to protect and not interphere in the landscape the buildings don’t have a great impact on the site.
View from the parking area
While steel parts are made of frames, grey sections’ foundationss consist of concrete load bearing walls at both sides of the tunnel. The space under rhe building remains empty.
First floor
Section a-a’
Section b-b’
SIGNS AND SYMBOLOGY One of the mains problems at Acipino is the difficulty to find your way around the site. The never ending slope and the monotony of the landscale makes almost impossible to find references . In order to help visitors to find their way, several steel frames were designed. Some of them just served as viewpoints and others guided people to their destination.
Viewpoints
Signs in frames
THE HOTEL AT a second stage of the task and as a promt design, we had to enlarge the Acinipo complex in order to host the visitors. The time to do it was 3 days. I decided to follow the language that was used at the interpretation center. Steel would work as a spaces linker and concrete as the hotel facilities. Rooms would be spread around the site.
View from the buidling
Guiding frames
Hotel cross section
thermal baths
viewpoint
domus
paragliding
theater
Rooms plans
Family: Parents and two kids
Room and hotel
Couples: regular room size
Couples: large room
DREAMS BOX build a dream WHEN 2014-2 weeks WHO me WHERE rooftop terrace in Málaga WHAT occupation of an empty plot to create a acting pattern.
WHY Le Corbusier called it “boîte à miracles” or box of dreams. No building laws. A sustainable and economical construction. Using technology in a genuine way. A place where every person can be happy.
The box
Plans and sections
solar panels on the roof (self sufficent box)
chairs and table were lowered
ceiling plan
accessible ramps
Section in detail 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
floor plan
panel OSB fijo IPN 150 IPN 200 estrctura met谩lica panel OSB m贸vil persiana enrollable rastreles madera
Day 1
Day 2
day
day
night
night
ANALYSIS CONLCUSION
IDEA
I chose the Municipal Museum of Mรกlaga rooftop, as the place for my dreams box. It would be located at La Coracha, a traditional neighbourhood that became extinc at the middle of the 20th century.
My proposal consists in customizing architecture. The box would be able to be connected to any smartphone hrough a very simple phone application. Different pieces of furniture can be chosen from each device.,
Day 3
day
night
ALABASTER itinerant outdoor exhibition WHEN 2011 . 4 weeks WHO me + azahara gil, alejandro martín and juan pedro tapia WHERE Alcazabilla street, Málaga WHAT design an itinerant installation to exhibit Jaume Plensa’s work.
WHY We were supposedly comissioned by Jaume Plensa to design an itinerant and ephemere exhibition installation for one of his collections: Alabaster. It consisted of several sculpted faces in Alabaster. Each of the pieces is named a different woman, as they resemble their own image. The size of the faces also varies from one to another, and some of them are higher than a person.
Alcazabilla street
Plans and sections
The exhibition Los standsstands
ANALYSIS CONCLUSIONS
IDEA
After doing some research on the collection meaning we concluded that the faces eyes were closed because they were sleeping. Alcazabilla street was built over the ruins of a roman theatre, it faces a muslim fortress and it’s an access to the Picasso Museum.
We designed a series of consecutive and separate installations in order to recall the four stages of sleep. The exhibition could be penetreated either from the North and South or from any of the sided, and conects with the theater completing its shape.
Elevation and sections
Exhibition at night time
I also enjoy making illustrations...
...and photography.
thanks for your time and consideration!