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Architects: Fuster Arquitectos, Julio Sagasta
- Area: 1801 m²
- Year: 2011
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Photographs:Bruno Almela
Carrús Cultural Center building is located inside a building grouping. This group consists of two buildings: the Social-Cultural Centre and the Elche`s Municipal Archives. Carrus Cultural Center is the second phase of the complex, in order of execution.The set has a very successful implementation inside the city of Elche. The building stands on the Vinalopo river´s edge, near the Bimil.lenari bridge.
The building is situated on a hillside facing south and east, it creates a visual dialogue with the city skyline and Elche´s Palm Grove, which is recognized by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.The project is on a triangular plot, with a slope to the south-east due to the natural topography.The ensemble is made up of three main bodies, they are placed on a plinth that solves the slope of the land’s topography. The plinth generates different levels so it appears diferents acces between the bottom and the front of the building.
The plinth creates a square with an interesting relationship between volumes.In the square begins an interesting dialogue between urban space and the Plam trees`s landscape. So it establishes several visuals points that make notable landmarks of the city such as Santa Maria’s Basilica (with its dome and bell tower), El Molino Real, and Altamira`s Palace.
Building materials are committed to quality and simplicity, concrete, single layer mortar, steel and glass are used.The project's objective is the connexion between the urban space and the set of volumes.The set of volumes are caused by the ramp between an elevated plaza (viewpoint towards the ciyt) and the building complex.The project has developed all the details to creates the public space, through dialogue between the volumes and the site furnishing.
The meaningful picture of the building is the auditorium’s volumen. The volumen is characterized by the ground floor’s straight lines and the curved roof which merges with the sky. The auditorium is accessible from the public Square (viewpoint towards the ciyt), which is located at the top, also it has an exit at its lower bound in the street level. The bleacher’s design solves the levels set.
Morning auditorium image is displayed as a white shape, camouflaged with the surrounding urban landscape.Evening auditorium image shows completely different because of theilluminated translucent glass. The auditorium becomes the set’s lighthouse.
