Plaça de Sant Miquel locates on Gothic quarter. The square is very close to the central point of the old Roman ancient walled city. Nowadays, the square is enclosed by buildings from different architectural periods and styles ranging from classical styles to Gothic and Catalan modernism. Moreover, the plaza mostly is occupied by children as a playground area, which was the main goal of the municipality; the creation of “a playable city”. However, buildings with their serious and formal façade design do not involve the concept of a playable city. Also, some of the volumes avoid the possible direct circulation from the corners of the square. The square has an irregular and intricate form. The proposal aims to bring order to the square without losing the conception of “playing”. Initially, the new passageway provides a direct connection between the corner of the square and the center of the plaza. Therefore, the existing building is cut in order to have a continuous passageway. On the other hand, the tall tower on the south of the square is demolished to have access from the south-left corner. This intervention also creates an invisible diagonal between Plaça de Sant Jaume and Carrer de Cervantes. Through the addition of new volumes, the square has a regular and simple form.
neighbours
The facades of all buildings surrounding the square are covered with stone. Stone is interpreted as a form in the design of new volumes and it is used as the principal material for cladding to communicate with its physical environment. Instead of replicating other uses or mixing them,the proposal aims to discover the use of stone in construction. While the gothic-style building used stone material with a masonry construction technique, modernist buildings utilized stone as cladding material.The project aims to explore advanced techniques of stone construction. Another reason for sloped walls was to reveal possibilities of masonry wall construction techniques in the contemporary world. Stone as the principal material of the Gothic Quarter shows its durability and power through slanted walls. Material accentuates the form. Existing granite stone pavement is preserved to maintain the identity of the square and its relationship with new volumes is enhance.
communicative design
Instead of verticality, walls are designed as sloped walls. It was the first attempt to play with architectural elements to break the rational verticality of the physical environment. Different angled walls and roofs maintain the dynamism of surrounding buildings and exaggerate them in terms of form. New volumes transform the abstract dynamism atmosphere into a physical entity. Based on the equal façade division layout of existing buildings, the façade of three buildings is divided into equal horizontal panels in order to demonstrate regular division as it is in other buildings. The gothic building in the square has the weirdest non-aligned window layout on the façade. While three of the windows are designed in order, one of them is inconsistent in terms of location and size. The notion of “non-alignment” and “playing with layout” appears in the façade design of new volumes.The façade of the building standing in the middle clearly demonstrate playing with layout and non-alignment. Although the façade is divided into equal pieces, two windows are moved vertically from the regular alignment of horizontal panel joints. In this way, it is aimed to emphasize the non-alignment layout with the small move of windows. The general atmosphere and common architectural points of existing façades are gathered in the design of three volumes in order to express these unrecognized features of the square to citizens. Massive blocks become a communication device, a metaphor for urban fabric. Three volumes summarize the main characteristic features of the area. It is created a small passageway between two massive blocks that work as cultural venues. The width of the corridor is about 50 cm, so people cannot cross it but they could see what happens behind these gigantic stone blocks. Crack attracts the attention of people by giving clues. Volumes, even in the plan, are not aligned. This action is a response to the strict rational design of buildings that encircle the square.
