TERRITORIAL SCALE \ CONTEXT TERRITORIL LINKS
The territory in between Alcalรก de la Selva and Virgen de la Vega is a space full of discontinuities which concentrates many fluxes of nature coming from a broader and more complex scale: from the Gudar Javalambre region to Teruel or Valencia. The presence of the Valderinares Ski Resort together with the massive summer tourism generates unbalanced urban conditions, isolation and concentration dynamics, disuse, jamming the natural environment. These dynamics are represented by the diffuse units around the town of Alcalรก de la Selva: Sol y Nieve, Fuen de la Reina and Solano de la Vega stand as chapters outside the territory. The proposal of an alternative tourism model, able to recognize and make recognizable the local peculiarities, together with an integrated network of low speed connections, could begin a process of sustainable development able to set a new socio-economical balance between inhabitants and seasonal\temporary user.
CONTINUITY AND RECOVERY OF LANDSCAPE ELEMENTS
The valley morphological system has historically influenced the establishment of agricultural and pasture patterns. The parcelization of the territory defines a mosaic of different patterns (meadow, pasture, agricultural fields and home gardens) spatially regulated by structural or partition elements. The construction of dry stone walls has guided the development of project practices that create a new system of micro-limits, where the element of division becomes space and place of relation.
NEW TOURISM
The tourism model proposes a revalorization of local and specific elements of the territory, such as agriculture and sheep-farming. A differentiated proposal that recognizes in the mountainagricultural identity a potential development element. The project organizes a series of devices for the involvement between inhabitant and tourist, for a new imaginary of relations between actors and places of these territories. The aim is to make possible a direct and shared interaction, that changes the actual dynamics of distance and seasonality through the new functional and spatial devices. The tourist then becomes active part in the territory management, from a simple user to a careful manager.
CONNECTION UNITS
BETWEEN
URBAN
The re-composition of the valley system of Alcalà River identifies a new axis of slow connection, formed by a corridor-park that links the different existing networks and the new ones. Three main nodes are spotted corresponding to the secondary accessibilities on a large scale: node 1 A 228 crossing te – v – 8022 (entrance Alcala - connection Gudar) node 2 A 228 crossing VF-TE-01 (connection Valdelinares) node 3 A228 with Virgen de la Vega These points infrastructure a series of pedestrian and bike paths that relate Alcalá de la Selva and Virgen de la Vega through a continuous public space. The nodes are made more recognizable by the plantation of vegetal masses that perceptually compress the space while passing through the road.
RIVER PARK ECOLOGICAL CONNECTIVITY
In continuity with the river ecological context, an implementation of the riparian vegetation system is proposed in correspondence to the main drainage system. The river context will be expanded to allow the evolution of new natural habitats and wetlands, increasing biodiversity and improving the ecological network.
CONNECTIONS SPEEDS
AT
DIFFERENT
The new pathways system is integrated with the existing network, from its local scale to the European of the GR, allowing the passage through different environments and spaces characterized by particular environmental, cultural and recreational values. The bicycle paths are designed with a raised embankment that redesigns the river floodability limit allowing a continuous itinerary and the perception of the landscape complexity across a sequence of different environments. A slower and capillary system extends in the areas of meadows, pastures and forest.
paths
USES AND FUNCTIONS
The park is divided in 5 different environments in continuity with the character of the territory. The area near the urban area of Alcalá de la Selva is developed in continuity with the existing functions such as the gym and the football field. The sports area is extended and a new viewpoint building is proposed with the dual function of market place and space for cultural, artistic, and social events. An area of pasture where the structural parcelling and the grazing activities are recovered with the installation of new relationship devices that are materialized as a reinterpretation of the archetype of the dry stone wall. These hybrid structures of small dimensions host different functions and uses, mixing the productive activities of agriculture and grazing with touristic functions. Small shelters to overnight, spaces to sell typical products, or simply a warehouse for the farmer tools. The mixing between tourist/occasional users and the inhabitant is designed as an alternative touristic model in which the characteristics of the territory are experienced and recognized bilaterally. In the central node of the system, the ‘Farm School Node’, the existing agricultural structure is recovered, and the proposed farm school promotes the local agricultural heritage taking advantage of the accessibility. The park system ends with the creation of a wetland habitat near the shrine of Virgen de la Vega recognizing this area as a place of confluence of different environments (range of the river plain, water system, bicycle paths system). The presence of a lookout tower allows the understanding of the landscape in all its complexity.
grounds
vegetation
TERRACE-HOUSING TYPOLOGICAL CONCEPT
As an interpretation of the structure of the historical centre of Alcalá de la Selva, in constant dialogue with the difficult existing topography, the project designs a housing model which ensures a continuity with the urban fabric and which is able to create new spaces for the collective use. Therefore the project considers only the area in slope as place for the housing project, understanding the plain area as an intermodal node in continuity with the park that opens the new housing project to the landscape and the territorial scale. This node on the one hand is an important natural value for the positioning of the project and on the other, with the introduction of a bus station, appears as an opportunity to foster a sustainable transportation system. The ‘Piedra del Sapo’, the dominant topographic feature, is configured as an articulation that connects a housing system in continuity with the existing urban fabric and one which redevelops the ‘terrace wall’ element.
This new system results in a new housing typology where the wall becomes faรงade and the roof of the building becomes terrace for a shared use between residents and tourists. Therefore they are configured as a public space with different uses and users becoming market gardens, playground, grasslands, pasture, meeting areas and free camping. The double skin of the faรงade is designed as a reinterpretation of the linear image of the wall, making evident the seasonal occupation levels through the opening or closure of the vertical wooden panels. The proposed typologies have been designed to develop new relations between inhabitants, seasonal workers and tourists, and to integrate small facilities and shops to support the urbanization. The morphological situation of the site is understood as an opportunity to structure a system for the collection, cleansing and reuse of rainwater integrated in the project.
water system