external storage div: roberto ercilla: mechanical ramps

水曜日, 8月 01, 2012

roberto ercilla: mechanical ramps

'mechanical ramps' by roberto ercilla, vitoria, spain
all images courtesy of roberto ercilla

bisecting the center of vitoria in northern spain and climaxing at the cultural center, roberto ercilla's 'mechanical ramps' improve
accessibility for the local community from one end of town to the other in a protected and constantly transforming sequence, punctuated by
sections of level ground which open to the exterior. analogous to frames in a film, the one-meter intervals stainless steel structures
progressively offset from the previous, causing an overall perception of a free-flowing twisting interior space. views from the moving
walkways are controlled along the way through the same principle: at a distance the form seems solid and continuous while at the user's
current position they will be exposed to the surrounding environment, maintaining visual interest throughout their experience.

as the town suffers from extreme weather conditions from summer to winter, environmental issues were taken into account in the
design of the walkways. the glass canopy protects pedestrians from natural elements, while at the same time reflecting a high
percentage of direct sunlight along with small slits at the edges to naturally ventilate the space. the project is also strategically
oriented on the site to benefit from the shade created by the adjacent buildings.

geo coordinates: 42° 50' 55'' N , 2° 40' 20'' W