This new Police Station is a Municipality of Medellín and the National Police bet to initiate a change in the image that these buildings have on the communities, turning it into a model of Community Police where the institution is closer to the people. It is about changing the restrictive, dark and dangerous image that these buildings have had in our cities throughout history through a friendly and close image.
The building has a built area of 4,098 m2 (44110.5 Sq Ft) distributed in Three levels that take advantage of the topography. It has a basement for private use where the technical and parking areas are located. A first public floor that opens onto the Square access, where the community service offices are located, an auditorium with a capacity for 50 people, gym and restaurant. The design of this security equipment were concibedfor sharing some services with the community, in addition, it finishes off the last floor of private use with dormitories for 120 uniformed, with common and restareas.
Additionally, 5,632 m2 (60622.34 Sq Ft) of public space were built between Squares, platforms, green areas, and soccer fields, with the purpose of consolidating a new neighborhood center with sports activities.
Neighborhood Icons.
The architectural concept that public buildings should be "NeighborhoodIcons" where architecture becomes the protagonist in the landscape and begin to generate references of the city that energize the neighborhoods where these public buildings are built. Our purpose since the begining of the project is to create a sense of belonging in it‘s inhabitants, and most importantly, architecture becomes a platform for the state and citizens to have a meeting space for culture, citizenship, and healthy recreation.
The building was conceived as a LIGHTBOX that levitates over the landscape, this was achieved from an enveloping skin on two colored levels that forms a volume elevated with metallic structures, generating a visible and light mass, parallel an open courtyards are achieved with attachments to access to the project. The first level of public access is very transparent due to the community services it provides, which invites access for citizens.
This building, due to its tectonic and formal characteristics, has the quality to stand out in the day landscape due to its color and at night for its illumination and with it, become a social reference with a visual value for the inhabitants of the neighborhood.
The materials which compose the building are the result of a reflection made from aesthetics, technique, and sustainability in search of providing these high resistances over time. The concrete in sight, the metallic structures, and the aluzinc sheets were always designed technically for a good performance in the open. The veneers are avoided as the intention was always to keep the materials honest in their finish and natural appearance.
The incursion of natural light into the space is a fundamental strategy for energy efficiency of the building. In the central space is located a skylight of 40 mt of length (132 ft) that bathes with light the central street of the building and keeps it illuminated at the daytime; in the side aisles, they are bathed with direct natural light that is sifted by the Micro-perforated Softwave 50. Thanks to the perforations, this material has a special design that allows through its perforations, to increase the daytime illumination of certain spaces, this is how a solid and closed appearance is achieved in the day from the outside, and at the same time a visual translucent from inside that allows to contemplate the entire external landscape. An effect that was sought for this security building.
Ventilation: due to the conditions, the thermal mass of exposed concrete, perforations of the façade sheet and the proper management of the heights, a building with an optimal fresh climate for the living was achieved.
Material Used :
1. Fachata en lamina metalica Aluzinc tipo Softwave 50 – Hunter Douglas
