METROPOL PARASOL

Designed by J. MAYER H. architects, this project explores the potential of the Plaza de la Encarnación to become the new contemporary urban centre. A highly developed infrastructure helps to activate the square, making it an attractive destination for tourists and locals alike.

"Metropol Parasol", the Redevelopment of the Plaza de la Encarnacíon in Seville, designed by J. MAYER H. architects, becomes the new icon for Seville, - a place of identification and to articulate Seville's role as one of the world´s most fascinating cultural destinations. "Metropol Parasol" explores the potential of the Plaza de la Encarnacion to become the new contemporary urban centre. Its role as a unique urban space within the dense fabric of the medieval inner city of Seville allows for a great variety of activities such as memory, leisure and commerce. A highly developed infrastructure helps to activate the square, making it an attractive destination for tourists and locals alike.

The "Metropol Parasol" scheme with its impressive timber structures offers an archaeological museum, a farmers market, an elevated plaza, multiple bars and restaurants underneath and inside the parasols, as well as a panorama terrace on the very top of the parasols. Realized as one of the largest and most innovative bonded timber-constructions with a polyurethane coating, the parasols grow out of the archaeological excavation site into a contemporary landmark, defining a unique relationship between the historical and the contemporary city. "Metropol Parasols" mix-used character initiates a dynamic development for culture and commerce in the heart of Seville and beyond.

Client: Ayuntamiento de Sevilla und SACYR
Architects: J. MAYER H. Architects

Project Architect: Jürgen Mayer H., Andre Santer, Marta Ramírez Iglesias

Project Team: Ana Alonso de la Varga, Jan-Christoph Stockebrand, Marcus Blum, Paul Angelier, Hans Schneider, Thorsten Blatter, Wilko Hoffmann, Claudia Marcinowski, Sebastian Finckh, Alessandra Raponi, Olivier Jacques, Nai Huei Wang, Dirk Blomeyer (Management Consultant 1st Phase)

Competition Team: Jürgen Mayer H, Dominik Schwarzer, Wilko Hoffmann, Ingmar Schmidt, Jan-Christoph Stockebrand, Julia Neitzel, Klaus Küppers, Georg Schmidthals, Andre Santer, Daria Trovato

Technical Support for Plants - Competition 2nd Phase only: Coqui - Malachowska - Coqui with Thomas Waldau

Technical Consultant and Multidisciplinary Engineers for Realization: Arup
Project Manager: Jose de la Peña, Jan-Peter Koppitz
Project Team Statics: Romain Buffat, Kayin Dawoodi, Steffen Janitz, Andres Garzón, Enrique González, Carlos Merino, Estrella Morato, Victor Rodríguez Izquierdo, Volker Schmid
Project Team Building Services: Salvador Castilla, Alborada Delgado, Marta Figueruelo Calvo
Project Team Fire Protection: George Faller, Benjamin Barry-Otsoa, Jimmy Jonsson

Timber Construction Company: Finnforest-Merk GmbH, Aichach

Plexi-Model: Werk 5, Photographer: Uwe Walter
Timber-Model: Finnforest Merk

International Competition: 1. Prize, 2004
Project: 2004-2011
Opening: March 2011
Completion: April 2011

Permanent Collection of Museum of Modern Art, NY and Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Berlin
Permanent Collection of DAM, Deutsches Architekturmuseum Frankfurt, Germany
Holcim Award, 2005, Winner Europe Bronze for Sustainable Construction

Plaza de la Encarnacion
Sevilla, Spain
www.encarnacion.-
plandesevilla.org

With
ARUP GmbH NL Berlin/Madrid

This video by GiraldaTV shows the top of J Mayer H's Metropol Parasol for the first time, with its lookout that will offer visitors spectacular views of the rooftops and domes of the Andalusian city:

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Overview of Metropol Parasol, Seville, Plaza de la Encarnacion renovation.

Realized as one of the largest and most innovative bonded timber-constructions with a polyurethane coating, the parasols grow out of the archaeological excavation site into a contemporary landmark.

View more images

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Jürgen MAYER H.

Jürgen Mayer H. Founded in 1996 in Berlin, Germany, J. MAYER H Architects’ studio, focuses on works at the intersection of architecture, communication and new technology. From urban planning schemes and buildings to installation work and objects with new materials, the relationship between the human body, technology and nature form the background for a new production of space.

Jürgen Mayer H. is the founder and principal of this crossdisciplinairy studio. He studied at Stuttgart University, The Cooper Union and Princeton Universtiy. His work has been published and exhibited worldwide and is part of numerous collections including MoMA New York and SF MoMA. National and international awards include the Mies-van-der-Rohe-Award-Emerging-Architect-Special-Mention-2003 ,Winner Holcim Award Bronze 2005 and Winner Audi Urban Future Award 2010. Jürgen Mayer H. has taught at Princeton University, University of the Arts Berlin, Harvard University, Kunsthochschule Berlin, the Architectural Association in London, the Columbia University, New York and at the University of Toronto, Canada.