002_Youth Center
As an architect, it is usual in the Galician rural environment (North-West region of Spain) to deal with interventions that are inserted into a scattered habitat with minimal consolidation, where is difficult to find specific urban cores and where growth processes are a mystery revealed slowly.
This is what happens in this project: the City Council raises the need to build a center to promote cultural activity between a dispersed population not accustomed to enjoy these type of spaces.
The site chosen is located in one side of the main square (the south), where as usual are located the Church and the Civil Guard [the Town Hall occupies a random building far from the square], both constructions without remarkable interest, as well as the fountain, the “Cruceiro”, the swings and the lamps that spread through the square.
Motivated by an innovative program in the area and released by the absence of references in the immediate environment, we opted for attract attention with an outright intervention, adapted to our side of the square to absorb and build on the existing slope (creating two separate entrances). Looking for a certain order as a starting point, we
apply the necessary pressure so that other pieces fit around, finding their place as part of a new process of symbiotic growth [taking advantage of living together] that we expect to happen in response to the inclusion of the new building (recently, in 2005, a geriatric
center and a sports hall have been built in the village with similar characteristics).
Regarding the interior, we know that operate under the name of sociocultural center for all ages inhabit many unplanned activities that we try to assume in advance: floors and sections become flexible to absorb the changes caused by a future use unscheduled on the starting conditions.
The construction process started in October 2000 (our first built work) and ended in February 2005, and was developed in phases according to the availability of financing.
Varying times and budgets forced us to understand the building as an open, changing product. The lack of money and the intervention of four different construction companies resulted in availability of time and possibility of change, allowing the building to evolve with us.
Just a matter of time and patience!
Marcos Parga_PO2 Arquitectos / Year: 2005 / Location: Guntin, Spain / Program: Mixed Use / Type: National Competition. 1st Prize / Client: City of Guntin / Size: 700m2 / Budget: 553.950 euros