More than a stop. Bus stop "Puerta de Moguer" by Ahaus arquitectos

Project description by Ahaus arquitectos

“Puerta de Moguer” (meaning “Moguer Gate”) is the very first impression that visitors get from the city, like many other coach and train stations. Due to its location on the fairgrounds, it is also the facade of the town hall’s stall during the fair, which is a significative element that will take part of the archetypal imaginary for the next generations.

The gate works as a protective element against the inclement weather (sunlight, rain, wind…) during the waiting time and, at the same time, it provides comfort and information to the travellers (tourist content, promotions, culture events, etc.).

The bus stop design is based on the vernacular canopies built in the province of Huelva at the beginning of the twentieth century and symbolise the welcome and farewell of passengers. These canopies would consist of a horizontal plane that connects with the train station and an inclined plane that opens towards the traffic area. Indeed, it is this idea that gives the shape to the main section developed in the project.

The design begins with two golden rectangles in plan, 7.5 x 12.13 metres each. The rest of the elements develop from them both in plan and elevation, following the same golden ratio. The materials used are key to articulate the project: exposed concrete and stainless steel, which require low maintenance and provide an emphatic image to the concept.

Space is treated under the premise to turn it into a robust functional sculpture, and, above all, beautiful. It is, therefore, capable of being transformed into a landmark that anticipates to the passengers what they are going to find through their visit to the city. The attention to the detail, the slenderness, the lightness, the purposed/unpursued minimalism, the surprise, the light and shadows, the poetry… All of these can be found in Moguer and they are, therefore, represented on its Gate.

On the other hand, the name of the city is an essential part of the scheme. Each letter of the word MOGUER is ruptured on the concrete cantilever, creating consequently a game of lights and shadows over the movement plane. During the day, the sunlight goes through the letters and makes up the name on the ground. A similar effect is achieved during the night with specific luminaires.

Puerta de Moguer is the first intervention of the planning update of the fairgrounds. The land is used as a parking lot during the year, allowing this way the installation of stalls during the fair. The pavement specified also provides some flexibility for this dual function, as it has four chromatic strips that organise the area, marking the streets and orientating the user.

To finalise, accessibility has been a key part of the scheme, considering the comfort and mobility of disabled people. The halt has an informative area plan in Braille and exclusively adapted benches with some verses from Juan Ramón Jiménez.