Alcoy (ES)

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Data

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Project Scales L/S - Urban and architectural

Location North Alcoy. Al-Azraq Square

Population 61,542 inhab.

Strategic site 4 ha – Project site 0.88 ha

Site proposed by Alcoy City Council

Actors involved City Council and neighbours

Owner of the site Alcoy City Council

Post-competition phase Building project

Team representative Architect, urban planner

More Information

How can the site contribute to the productive city?

Al-Azraq Square plays a vital role in the heart of Alcoy. It connects the Eixample district to the Zona Nord district, the Viaducte district and the historic town centre. It is also adjacent to the city's northern industrial zone, the Cotes Altes and Cotes Baixes industrial estates.
The northern zone's population is approximately 17,000 inhabitants, with 13,500 in the expansion district. This centre of gravity is therefore home to half of the city's population.
Initially, craft industries are not proposed as a new economic base, and instead, the focus is on the contribution of tertiary uses to the productive city. The site owners are looking for an innovative vision, encouragement for entrepreneurial initiatives and a way to attract talent.

City strategy

The main urban transformations envisaged that will affect the site include, firstly, the Alcoy Structural Master Plan, open for public information and consultation in September 2016. Secondly, the Interior Reform Plan for Al-Azraq, envisaged in the current planning blueprint, is also extremely important. In addition, the Integrated Sustainable Urban Development Strategy identifies the main problems and challenges faced by the municipality. Its guidelines strive to ensure sustainable long-term development. The nerve centre of the future city of Alcoy will be the area in the triangle formed by the three main nodes of the strategy: the University (Research), Al-Azraq Square (Innovation) and the Rodes block (Development).

Site definition 

Al-Azraq Square marks the confluence of two major thoroughfares in Alcoy: Juan Gil-Albert Avenue, the main northern exit artery, and Hispanitat Avenue, a boulevard that marks the character of the Zona Nord district. This urban void is the site of the former Alcoy-Gandia railway terminus, in operation from 1892 to 1969. Pare Poveda Street, which also converges on the square, has also come to the fore since the opening of the Francisco Aura Bridge, as it provides a direct vehicle connection to the A-7 motorway. All this leads to the conclusion that Al-Azraq Square is a strategic location for the city's configuration.

How is Production Considered in the Urban Diversity Program?

During the citizen participation process for the Al-Azraq Square plan, several uses for the project area have been mooted: residential (closed city block with a courtyard or free-standing building), tertiary (shops, laboratories or offices), facilities (car park, open or retirement space). This is why the design of a multipurpose building that can equip the area with many of the suggested uses is a positive, attractive aspect in the public participation process. However, bearing in mind that the immediate environs are a high-density residential area, it would seem most appropriate for the predominant focus of this building to be productive uses that supplement the pervasive residential use of this zone.
Another important aspect of the project is sustainability and aspects that allow almost zero energy consumption. Resources that create self-sufficient buildings should be a major focal point throughout, from the underground levels to the roof.
Another complementary aspect is the transformation of the main adjacent avenues into productive streets. The innovation node should encourage Hispanidad Avenue, Juan Gil Albert Avenue and Pare Poveda Street in this aspect, bearing in mind moreover that they are major links for the whole city. Finally, sustainability should also included in the management of the buildings in the time dimension. The proposed uses should therefore ensure a balance and permit their viability over time.

Road junction in front of the project site
Urban void in front of the project site
 
View of the Project site from Juan Gil-Albert avenue
Interior view of the Project site
 

Questions on the site

As for the buildings to be demolished, is it necessary to maintain the basketball court? Can its location be changed?
He visto en el archivo los edificios que hay que derribar, pero, hay que mantener la cancha del baloncesto? o puedo cambiar la ubicacion?

Current uses are not planned to be maintained. Therefore, intervention can be made throughout the public area (except on those residential buildings that, due to its private nature, are not included in the project area)
No está previsto que se mantengan los usos actuales por lo que se puede intervenir sobre toda la superficie pública (salvo en los edificios residenciales que son particulares y no entran en el ámbito de actuación.

Is the large parking area to be considered as an underground facility? Is there a minimum area?
Cuando se refiere una amplia zona de aparcamiento, en este caso tiene que ser subterraneo? Hay alguna cantidad que tiene que llegar al minimo?

It can be an above-ground parking, although it makes more sense that the basement and ground floors are devoted to parking use and open air areas to people. Reservation of parking spaces must comply with the P.G.O.U. (Town Development Plan).
El aparcamiento puede ser en superficie, pero parece más lógico que los vehículos ocupen el subsuelo y las plantas bajas y espacios libres se reserven para las personas. En cuanto a la reserva, dependiendo de los usos se estará a la reserva que establece el PGOU, que se deberá cubrir.

Which of the buildings of the study area can be demolished?, all of them, including the church, the guardia civil headquarters, the justice building...?
¿Qué edificios del área de estudio pueden ser demolidos? ¿Todos ellos, incluida la iglesia, las dependencias de la Guardia Civil y el edificio de los juzgados?

Only the buildings included in the project area can be demolished (the three prefab classroom blocks), not those included in the study area.
Solo se pueden demoler los edificios incluidos en el área de proyecto (los tres barracones verdes que eran aulas), no los que están incluidos en el área de estudio.

There is a problem with planimetry in .dwg. Trying to open it causes a fatal error. Could we get a new file?

If you find any trouble with DWG files, please try to make a “recover” to open them.

To what degree is it possible to intervene in the study area? Only pavements, urban furniture, or something else? Is it possible to excavate somewhere?
Hasta que grado del nivel, se puede intervernir al lugar de estrategia? solo pavimientos, muebles, o mas? por ejemplo, excavar alguna parte?

I’m not sure about your question. Regarding the study area of 4 has, there is no limitation for a urban planning proposal. In regard to the project area, the limit to the underground area is that fixed in the General Urban Planning, three floors and 7,5 mtrs.
No entiendo muy bien la pregunta. Si se refiere al ámbito de estudio, las 4 has, no existe ninguna restricción en la propuesta de ordenación que se plantee. si ser refiere al ámbito de proyecto, el edificio, se puede realizar cualquier excavación con la limitación que establece el vigente PGOU de 7.5 metros y tres plantas.

Could you provide competitors with translated extract of Masterplan covering issue of FAR and Buildable envelope for Plaza Al-Azraq? Including the Articles 507-509.

¿Pueden proporcional un extracto del Plan Especial traducido que explicara los datos de edificabilidad en términos de superficie y de volumen en la Plaza Al-Azraq? Incluyendo los artículos 507-509

Section 5 .- Particular conditions for the Al-Azraq Special Plan

- Article 506 - Purpose
The purpose of the Special Plan is to achieve an adequate functional and design treatment of the land in this area.

- Article 507 - Area The area of the Special
Plan will be the one defined by the Plan itself in terms of aesthetic and design factors, even when, for management purposes, it is restricted to the zone drawn in the planning diagrams. The buildable ratios etc. defined by the present Master Plan for the land not included in this area will therefore be maintained.

- Article 508 – Public facilities to be installed
The Special Internal Reform Plan (PERI) will insert the following facilities (at least) within this management area (polygon):

-A 16 classroom primary school to replace the existing portable classrooms
-A neighbourhood social centre with the characteristics set out in the Master Plan for zones designated as S1.
-A preschool for 150 children to replace the one initially planned for the homes in Caramanchel. 

- Article 509 – Buildable ratios
Given the purpose of the PERI, the Master Plan provides it with the greatest possible freedom with respect to the nature and layout of the volumes. Given that ownership of all the land included in this management area is public, and moreover, most of it owned by the City Council itself, the maximum buildable ratio is set at 3m2/m2. The PERI is not expected to exhaust this figure.

Sección 5 .- Condiciones particulares del PE Al-Azraq

- Artículo 506 – Objeto
El objeto del Plan Especial es conseguir el adecuado tratamiento funcional y de diseño de los terrenos comprendidos en su ámbito

- Artículo 507 – Ámbito
El ámbito del Plan Especial será el que él mismo determine en cuanto a condicionantes estéticos y de diseño aun cuando, a efectos de gestión, deberá limitarse al polígono grafiado en los planos de ordenación. Mantendrá, por tanto, las condiciones de edificabilidad fijadas por el presente PGOU para el suelo no incluido en dicho polígono

- Artículo 508 – Dotaciones a ubicar
El PERI ubicará en el ámbito del polígono de gestión, al menos, las siguientes dotaciones:

-Un centro de EGB de 16ud que sustituya a las actuales aulas
-Un centro social de barrio de las características reseñadas en la documentación del PGOU para los denominados S1
-Una guardería de 150 plazas que sustituye a la prevista inicialmente en a viviendas de Caramanchel.

- Artículo 509 – Edificabilidad
Dado el objeto del PERI, el PGOU pretende otorgar al mismo la máxima libertad posible en cuanto a entidad y disposición de volúmenes. Siendo, además, pública la titularidad de la totalidad de los terrenos incluidos en el polígono de gestión, y en su mayor parte del propio Ayuntamiento, se fija una edificabilidad máxima que el PERI no llegue presumiblemente a agotar y que se cifra en 3m2/m2

Can we be provided with an approximate program mix?
¿Podrían proporcionar un programa de usos aproximado?

As mentioned during the visit, the City Council has not proposed a closed program. The Brief suggests a series of uses that have been proposed in the course of the whole study and analysis process undertaken in this area over the last 25 years. We have no closed program and we are open to any proposal.
Como ya se comentó en la visita, el Ayuntamiento no ha planteado un programa cerrado. En el Brief se plantean una serie de usos que se han propuesto a lo largo de todo el proceso de estudio y análisis que se ha realizado en la zona (25 años). No tenemos ningún programa cerrado y estamos abiertos a cualquier propuesta.

The brief states that court house program will move into one of the Guard house. But answer to question online says there are no uses planned for the building on Project site. Can you clarify? Can the program be relocated and the guard house demolished?
El programa establece que los Juzgados se van a trasladar al Cuartel de la Guardia Civil. Sin embargo, en respuesta a una de las preguntas en la web, se dice que no hay usos programados para el edificio en el área de proyecto. ¿Podría aclararlo? ¿Se puede reubicar el programa y demoler el Cuartel de la Guardia Civil?

The Law Court has already been moved to the old district of the city, and the building has no designated use at present, so any initiative can be proposed for it. The former Civil Guard barracks building is not owned by the City Council, so any proposed initiatives must receive approval by the Ministry of Defence. Nevertheless, in the Structural Master Plan, the City Council suggests that the entire block where the Barracks are located should be educational. We therefore expect to be able to work on the entire space and reach agreements with the Ministry.
En cuanto al edificio de los Juzgados, ya se ha realizado el cambio del mismo al casco antiguo y en la actualidad no tiene un uso asignado, por lo que se puede proponer cualquier acción sobre el mismo. Con relación al cuartel de la Guardia Civil, el edificio no es del Ayuntamiento, por lo que las acciones propuestas deben consensuarse con el ministerio de Defensa. No obstante lo anterior, en el Plan General Estructural el Ayuntamiento ha propuesto que toda la manzana donde se sitúa el Cuartel sea educativa por lo que existe una previsión de poder trabajar con todo el espacio y llegar a acuerdos con el Ministerio.

Could you provide outlines for the two zones on project site, PQA-7 and PQE-32 according to SR 10?
¿Podrían aportar alguna idea general para las dos zonas en el emplazamiento de proyecto PQA-7 y PQE-32 según el SR10?

PQA-7 Courthouse (Once the Court is moved to a new location, the use of the building will change)
PQE-32 Central reserve for secondary schooling SR-10 "Al-Azraq" Internal Reform Zone
HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL ZONE (ZUR-RE / A) "Residential use, high density. Characteristic alignment with the street grid and buildings in the form of a square or compact block, although this zone also includes areas typified in the planning system as free-standing buildings, and free-standing or semi-detached blocks as the building type. The net buildable ratio on each site is defined geometrically or arithmetically, respectively, depending on the planning system. The SR_10 "Al-Azraq" internal reform area is covered by this structural planning zone.”
PQA-7 Juzgados (Una vez trasladado este, el uso debe cambiarse)
PQE-32 Reserva centro de Educación Secundaria
SR-10 Ámbito de reforma interior “Al-Azraq”
ZONA RESIDENCIAL DE ALTA DENSIDAD (ZUR-RE/A) “Uso global residencial, de alta densidad. Se caracteriza por el sistema de ordenación por alineación de calle y tipología en manzana cerrada o compacta, si bien esta zona incluye también áreas caracterizadas por el sistema de ordenación por edificación aislada y tipología edificatoria de bloque exento o adosado. La edificabilidad neta sobre parcela se fija geométrica o aritméticamente respectivamente, en función del sistema de ordenación. El ámbito de reforma interior SR_10 “Al-Azraq” queda englobado en esta zona de ordenación estructural.”

This site is connected to the following theme

From City to Productive City
How to Create Vibrant Productive Districts with Craftmen, Makers & Local Production?

How to Create Vibrant Productive Districts with Craftmen, Makers & Local Production?

Every city would like to be diversified. Yet standard approaches to create “vibrant communities” summon an imagery of housing, offices, cafés and restaurants. But, is that enough? Shouldn’t we also instil liveliness in an existing neighbourhood by fostering productive activities? Could this option also be viable in the case of bedroom communities? What does production mean for creative- and knowledge-based industries? What economic balance is necessary to retain productive activities as the area improves and prices rise?

Specific documents

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Fr. 2 June 2023
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