With the idea of unity in mind, two blocks of 90 social dwellings are arranged to appear as clean, pure prisms, clad in prefabricated concrete over a solid plinth of in-situ reinforced concrete. The in-between space is where the most fundamental urban stage is established: an interior communal garden where all entrances are linked to reinforce its character of centrality and public interaction.
As a primary choice that gives dignity and functionality to the apartments, the private and community zones are clearly separated. To this end, all bedrooms are orientated toward the external streets whilst the living rooms and kitchens give onto the interior space that constitutes the lively focus, shared by the community, where each family has a visual relationship with the garden space – the true axis of the project.
A compact and solid aspect was sought for the exterior whilst permeability and lightness was applied to the interior. In order to achieve this, the bedrooms present a long iteration of almost square openings, regularly placed to organize the façade through the placement in series of a single cladding panel type. In this way, the expressive potential of the concept of the concrete prism over a rough basement is maintained and an industrialized process is achieved without compromising dwellings dignity.
As a counterpoint, the interior facades present horizontal bands that run along their entire length and which correspond to each floor, each one framed between bands of horizontal prefabricated concrete panels. These strips are opposed by using square, aluminium frames with lightly coloured translucent glass that cover the external laundry areas. These open boxes, between rigour and randomness, characterize and differentiate each dwelling unit without compromising the solidness of the whole.
Authors: ah asociados: Miguel A. Alonso del Val, Rufino J. Hernández Minguillón, Marcos Escartín Miguel, Mikel Zabalza Zamarbide. Collaborators: Juan Luis Roquette Rodríguez-Villamil, Carlos Arcalá Luri, Eduardo Ozcoidi Echarren, Javier Gironés Navarlaz. Technical Architects: ATEC aparejadores (Emilio Linzoáin, Javier Escuchuri, Pedro Calleja). Engineering: ED ingeniería, GE ingenieros. Developer: HÁBITAT BUZTINTXURI S. COOP. Photographer: Pedro Pegenaute
