Description of project by Iñigo Peñalba Arribas
The need for covered public spaces that allow their use during the winter seasons has been a constant throughout the history of our country. There are numerous examples of this, such as the covered marketplaces of Ordizia and Gernika, the arches of our squares and town halls, or the excellent modernist cover of the square "Berdura plaza" in Tolosa, among others.
In recent years, faced with the need to cover spaces that originally were projected open, and that over time have shown that they need a cover that will condition them for winter or rain in any season of the year, examples have abounded of contemporary roofs in line with the one proposed for the Igerain-Gain playground.
In this context, and with the analysis of the many contemporaneous examples made in our environment as a starting point, the proposed project aims to provide a functional solution to meet the needs of the place. A project that, in short, is adapted to the guidelines set by the City Council.
INTEGRATION IN IGERAIN-GAIN PARK AND PLAYGROUND
The project integrates harmoniously, closing the semicircle generated by the adjoining houses to the north, without invading the pedestrian passage that gives continuity to the free space towards the urban center, towards which it opens up presenting its greater height.
The existence of children's games of different heights conditions the wavy shape, like a wave, of the roof that is adapted to the varied furniture of the existing park. Likewise, the organic sinuosity with which the roof dances harmonizes directly with nature, whose trees surround the covered space of the park. The games of transparencies, lights and shadows complete the theatrical scene that is pretended with this light structure of translucent textile elements that house serrated and warped polka dots of three different tonalities of blues.
The project provides a solution to the need for warning coverage without altering the use of the park and favoring its wider use due to the resulting diaphanous space and its permeability.
ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION
A flexible and adaptable structural solution in galvanized steel with bolted connections of the "meccano" type is proposed. In this context, it has been decided, in order to avoid triangulations in the vertical planes and even in the roof, by a light structure of embedded knots, maintaining, however, the condition of tubular metal structure.
The proposed solution therefore proposes to cover the children's play area by means of a light textile cover that allows the permeability of the space, integrating between the trees of the square and letting through a sifted light through it. This cover has a wavy shape, like a wave, which extends over the play area, supported by slender tubular metal columns located on the outer perimeter of the playground. These columns delimit the game space more clearly and allow to define spatially the north side of the park, where one of the larger gardens is located, suitably replacing the alignment of trees.
The aforementioned columns are associated in pairs, forming a total of 9 porticos, braced together by a beam that also acts as a gutter and as an element that collects the tensors of the roof.
The north lateral closure consists of a sheet of ETFE that hangs from the gantry structure, leaving however enough clearance under it, so that the space is not closed, in addition to having a translucent finish, offering significant resistance to heat and ultraviolet rays.
The textile system, which consists of a PVC tarpaulin, while also protecting the rain, provides that feeling of lightness that has been sought in the project since its inception. At the same time, integrated into the canvas, a serigraphy of polka-dots in bluish tones is proposed, to provide that resulting image of the project that has connected with the population of Zarautz.
The roof water is collected by means of a perimeter beam that acts as a gutter that lets the water fall to the drainage boxes provided in the ground.
In short, according to all this, the main architectural features of the project can be summarized in the following points:
Integration in the place, by means of a wave-shaped organic form, in the form of a wave, which adapts to the existing children's furniture and the park's trees, which surround it.
Light and flexible solution, through a textile cover supported by a galvanized steel metal structure, complemented by a lateral closure of EFTE to the north.
Metal prefabricated construction, with elements easy to assemble on site through bolted connections of the "meccano" type, although it requires a meticulous precision in its realization in the workshop.
Diaphanous and permeable space, without intermediate supports and without crossings that hinder the passage and may pose a risk to children.
Evacuation of water in singular points in a natural way, by means of a perimeter gutter that guides the water towards the drains that are projected to collect it.
Sieve, light and shade, through translucent and transparent textile elements that generate a vibration of light in space, complemented by the blue color of warped polka dots.
In this way a flexible and adaptable project to the needs of the program is achieved, a prefabricated project that seeks to minimize the impact on the site, proposing a permeable structure that seeks to integrate into the plaza.
