'architects write waterproof habitable poems'
Leo Van Broeck
advocacy
We advocate co-designing inclusive projects with our clients and collaborators. Striving for quality and value for money.
Our aim is to transform the built and unbuilt environment with respect for nature, and responsible use of resources to promote sustainable creativity.
We foster architecture
Its
history,
thinking,
practice,
learning.
The Mills Path, Segovia, Spain
Heritage, public space, ecology
The fish ladder
Before recorded time, a river passed by the old city of Segovia. The monumental granite mole of the Eresma Riverside was built stone by stone from the Roman Empire. In the 18th century eleven watermills energised a growing industrial heartland. Use of electricity in 20th century silenced most of these mills. Now, in our century, only the dams are recognisable. Some are covered by branches, with plants growing through the grouts of the ashlar stones. The tallest, the Pearl Dam, is jagged. Trout jump through its multiple holes.
In 2012 our studio awarded a commission from the Council and a Scandinavian fund to restore the dams, to consolidate some of the mill’s ruins and to expand the public domain. After the first meeting with our client, the River Authority, we realised that the project was jeopardized by environmental concerns. The European Water Framework Directive did not permit any consolidation of barriers, fearing they would threaten fish migration and deplete biodiversity.
We responded to this challenge by researching viable solutions. Instead of compromising the project, we envisioned a design response to fulfil the requirements of the brief. We obtained the required approvals and met deadlines and the budget.
In collaboration with scientists of the Hydrographic Institute and University of La Coruña, we designed the dams, with restored integrated fishways. In the Pearl Dam, a fish ladder was built with similar stone blocks and old techniques. In the other dams, biological connections were achieved through naturalisation fishways design.
As a result, the Mills Path work enhances the lives of all its users: the people, the trout, frogs and the rest of the river's wildlife.
high performance
Plasser Headquarters, Toledo, Spain
Masterplanning, workplace, industrial
Art works by Manolo Campoamor
High-performance design is a holistic and performance-driven approach to design excellence. Focusing on quantifying its value and continually improving it on all fronts, it has several benefits for the environment, economy, and occupant health. This approach helps to create affordable, healthy, and sustainable built environments for communities.
Plasser Iberica headquarters
Plasser & Theurer is the world-leading Austrian company in design and manufacturing of a complete range of machines for laying and maintenance of railway tracks.
We obtained a commission for the complete scope of design and construction of its new headquarters in Spain. The commission ranged from master planning, concept design to completion under a contract administration agreement.
The project design was focused on three outcomes: the optimal layout for mass production, a high-performance building and workers’ wellbeing.
The complex is surrounded by generous landscaping. Stripes on curtain walls were incorporated on main halls walls, to provide visual connection with the immediate landscaping.
This building combines passive and renewal energies strategies for heating and cooling systems. It has the largest horizontal geothermal installation in Spain.
To reinforce the sense of place and its uniqueness, the artist Manolo Campoamor painted five murals on the main hall doors inspired by the everyday workforce focus: the Plasser machines.
challenge
Affordable Housing Competition, Sydney, Australia
with Yi-Ju Tseng
Our approach combines experience-based solutions with an unconventional twist.
Our designs focus on balancing continuity and transformation.
WooMoo
It is an affordable modular construction system to re-densify existing urban structures.
While Sydney is the second most unaffordable city in the world, after Hong Kong, its population density is low compared to many busy and expensive cities. Hong Kong’s has 452 people per hectare and Madrid has 62, Barcelona 146. By contrast, Sydney’s is 25 people per hectare.
We believe that increasing Sydney’s population density is the right strategy to address the lack of affordable dwellings, the need to increase community interaction and to reinforce neighbourhoods’ liveability.