3tirsolines

TEAM DATA

Team Representative: Ignacio Galbis Lloréns (ES) – architect; Associates: María García Berná (ES), Lucía Martínez Rodríguez (ES) – architect

Conde de Cocentaina 18, 03820 Cocentaina – España
+34 647 945 301 – info@robelloarquitectos.com – www.robelloarquitectos.com

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^{M. García Berná, L. Martínez Rodríguez & I. Galbis Lloréns}

INTERVIEW
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1. How did you form the team for the competition?

We know each other from the University and we have enjoyed working together since then. Recently we have participated to some competitions, so that we looked for a name that represents us all. That is how Robello arquitectos was born.

2. How do you define the main issue of your project, and how did you answer on this session main topic: Adaptability through Self-Organization, Sharing and/or Project (Process)?

We try to adapt our Project to the needs of local population by creating a flexible strategy. Therefore, different actions are proposed along 3 main lines: green axis, marketplace and building zones. They appear one after the other, just like the stations of a tube line go by. The arrival to a new station opens a wide range of activities. They also define other sub-lines that take the agents participating in the organization to innovative synergies. The 3 lines cross and create relationships that can make the travellers (agents) change their way and transfer to another “station” (activity or action). The people choose how they want to develop their area as they choose where to go.

3. How did this issue and the questions raised by the site mutation meet?

As we said, to attract more people and fight the loss of significance of Santo Tirso’s Marketplace –nowadays an almost empty building surrounded by a wide-open space full of vehicles– we establish 3 action lines:

-1- a green axis that connects the city centre, the marketplace and the Sanginhedo river;
-2- the market building is renovated and becomes the first meeting point for public participation;
-3- the building density is increased to encourage the arrival of new neighbours and economic activities.

4. Have you treated this issue previously? What were the reference projects that inspired yours?

We have participated to the Europan 12 competition, where we noticed that the adaptability of the European cities was a current issue. Besides this experience our main inspiration sources the natural self-organisation of the street market that weekly invades the surroundings of the market building; the previous master plan for Santo Tirso, that also proposed an axis ended in the marketplace; and the experimental green houses of Lacaton & Vassal, that generates high-quality spaces as they improve energy efficiency.

5. Today –at the era of economic crisis and sustainability– the urban-architectural project should reconsider its production method in time; how did you integrate this issue in your project?

That is exactly one of the principal lessons we have learned during our participation in Europan – that projects should develop in time, completing different stages that should adapt to the actual needs in each moment. That is why we propose a working system that involves several agents, who choose between different activities and actions. According to the unexpected synergies, diverse results can be achieved.

6. Is it the first time you have been awarded a prize at Europan? How could this help you in your professional career?

Yes, we are excited with our first Europan prize. But we are also very proud about the idea of being part of the development process of Santo Tirso.