Todos tenemos un proyecto al que le tenemos un especial cariño, ya sea por el programa, por el momento en el que lo hicimos o el resultado obtenido.
En mi caso hay un proyecto en el que trabajamos Juan y yo hará un par de años al que le tengo ese amor especial, ya sea por lo amplio del programa, lo especial que era la situación o porque nunca llegó a puerto (la empresa de transporte dejó que la aduana canadiense lo destruyera sin ni siquiera informarnos). El casó es que me entristece el tenerlo todo empolvado en el archivo y he decidido sacarlo a pasear un ratito jeje.
El proyecto en cuestión era un concurso sacado por el ayuntamiento de Winnipeg (Canadá) lo interesante era la unión tan fuerte que había entre arquitectua y urbanismo debido a su ubicación y condiciones térmicas. Resumiéndolo en pocas palabras:
Winnipeg es una ciudad en la que las temperaturas varían entre los 15 bajo cero en invierno y los 30 grados en verano. Por ello en el centro de la ciudad "dawn tawn" se encuentra un laberinto de túneles y puentes aereos que comunican los edificios más importantes dando la posibilidad, a transeuntes y ciclistas, de pasear a cubierto por esta parte de la ciudad y moverse sin dificultad por ello.
Bajo el cruce de las dos arterias de la ciudad se encontraba en ese momento una rotonda subterranea que unía unos de los edificios más importantes de la ciudad además de dar la posibilidad de cruzar las calles sin exponerse al tráfico que las atravesaban. El proyecto consistía en crear en ese cruce un punto de encuentro para la ciudad a nivel cultural y representativo, además de facilitar el uso del espacio público... todo un reto!
El resultado de nuestro trabajo de tres meses lo podeis ver aquí abajo, he intercalado los paneles con los textos introducidos y alguna imagen suelta para hacerlo más legible.
City CrossingThe ambition of this project is make a decisive revalue and resignification of the historical City Crossing, Portage and Main.
In this way the project is a search to increase the functional solution of the pedestrian crossing. The solution should be an answer to both the specific needs (pedestrian crossing and buildings access) and the abstract needs as a symbolic reference for the downtown and the city of Winnipeg, as a whole both for tourists and for inhabitants.
In this two-way project we found two important and distinctive starting points to support this:
- The under and above ground pedestrian system of the downtown of Winnipeg;
- The central presence and importance of the river and the parks on its banks, with ´The Forks´ area as central point of interest.
The underground system supports our proposal for City Crossing, which reinforces its existence and future growth to connect the different functions of de city.
The parks system has a relation with the context plan of the project in which we tried to link the two historically, geographically and culturally most important city areas: The Forks and City Crossing.
Context PlanAv. Portage is one of the most vital arteries of the city, however this is not apparent when passing City Crossing eastwards. We propose expanding and extending this sector toward the bridge so that this part of this crucial avenue can recover its character.
Important natural areas, especially on the bank of the river, are very close to City Crossing, however their presence is not evident.
We want to add this quality to the downtown reversing the commercial character of Av. Portage into the new proposed stretch with the creation of a new park area. This will serve to make a physical and symbolic connection between City Crossing and The Forks.
In this way City Crossing, that at present seems to be an accidental intersection point between the different city areas, begins to be a real central place around which everything rotates.
The City Crossing SquareWe created an underground square at 6.00 meters below ground level. A functional and symbolic public place as the complement and motor of the existent pedestrian system of Winnipeg. It is also an ´Agora´ for the businessman, the inhabitant and the tourist. It is a place and a connector between places.
A place to meet, rest and enjoy. A point of orientation and reference in the city, but a site with its own character, open bright, accessible, with important public amenities, and where aesthetics and design play a key role.
The project has two circulation levels: the square at 6.00 meters below ground level and a bridge connection at 3.40 meters below ground level.
We have defined two sectors at ground level with different functional velocities, concentrating the pedestrian movement and the related functions (Mobility Area) to create an area of calm (Still Area). In this way the square becomes to be both a connector between places and a place.
An Art-wall closes one side of the square. This is also a façade of the Mobility Area and contains “fast shops” (fast food, newspapers, flowers, etc.). The Art-wall has light inside and is a place for a big artistic image.
In the Mobility Area the connection with both the upper circulation system (3.40 below ground level) and with the Lighthouse Art Gallery takes place. This connector is a platform and a ramp with public seats and screens for media art of experimental projections.
A hollow in the square produces the division between both sectors, announcing the beginning of the Still Area. We propose to develop this as a cyber center with computers and a internet connection for personal laptops.
The Still Area is formed for both a tired seats that surround a side of a small stage and a café. Street artists may use the small amphitheatre. Warm colors and materials such as wood characterize this area and special lighting to create a contrast with the Mobility Area, and to create an atmosphere of calm. Close to the east access patio, the café’s ceiling makes a curve to form the more calm area of the square with views of the water and the Montreal Bank building.
The cornersWe opened the four corners of City Crossing to create the square access, to give natural light to the underground square, and to integrate the Concourse area with the public areas of the intersection above ground level. These open places are patios also protected courtyards against the severe wind conditions.
In this way we made differences between each corner to give facilitate orientation in the underground level.
The north entrance (Richardson Building) is the Sculpture Patio. An oval place with a stone floor and some seating is suitable to exhibit sculptures. Above this hangs a platform (3.40 below ground level) with gardens. This one gives protection to get the building entrance.
The east entrance is the Calm Patio. This has much the same atmosphere as the still area. A small park with trees, plants, lawn and water offers a calm atmosphere in which to take a rest, and gives looks out onto the Montreal Bank building.
The west entrance complement the small square in front of the TD building with amenities for children, sitting places, and trees.
The south entrance has been solved with ramps in the both streets that make possible to go into the square. This corner has been not completely open. A glass floor on the corner makes possible that natural light entry into the underground level and makes a direct visual connection with the above grade in other way that the patios.
Level 3.40 below ground levelFrom each patio on the corners it is possible enter the City Crossing Square at two different levels. The 6.00 meters below ground level is the square its self with all the functions and amenities. The other level is a suspended way system at 3.40 below ground level meters. Bicycles, wheelchairs and pedestrians can use it to get to another point in the system without descending to the square level (6.00 meters below ground level). The Lighthouse Art Gallery is situated at this level.
The Lighthouse Art GalleryThe vehicular crossing is what gives power and character to this historical city place, playing down the importance of pedestrian movement.
We decided to create a tension point that makes a connection between de pedestrian and the Portage and Main´s traffic, an architectonical object that starts on the underground level and comes up in the middle of Main Street in a ´promenade´ that has two points of view. One point over Main Street and the other is in the middle of City Crossing giving a panoramic view. This structure is also as a lighthouse over the downtown of Winnipeg. This long and narrow building with different spaces is an Art Gallery suitable for new artists.
Proyecto realizado por
Juan Alonso y Susana Aparicio.
