Polideportivo Daoiz y Velarde, 2001-2004

 

Location: Madrid

Architect: Oscar Tusquets Blanca

Collaborators:

Project Coordinator:

Elena de las Moras and Carles Díaz

Quantity surveyor:

Manuel de las Moras and María Roger

Structure:

Jesús Jiménez and Enric Torrent

Built area: 9.4996 m2

1er Premio Concurso Rehabilitación Madrid 2001

Diploma Premis Construmat 2005 de Arquitectura

 

“Evoke” was the theme we used to enter the competition. When users visit the centre, they do not simply enter a technically modern complex—they “evoke” the old warehouse built for use by the railways and later pressed into service as a barracks. This historical building has now found a new, recreational use, but behind the remodelling, it remembers what it has been. We conserved not only the façades but also much of the interesting iron structure of three of the warehouses. We removed the interior rendering of the walls to lay them bare, leaving the brickwork on view. The result is even more spectacular than expected: these are not the aseptic waters of competition, these are the thermal springs of Roman baths.