Located on the perimeter of the Campus of the University of Zaragoza in Teruel, our proposal for the Resource Centre builds city and creates a fundamental space for university life.

 

Using the main resources of architecture, such as the search for the right orientation, the organisation of the height of the buildings and the articulation of the public space, the proposal maximises the opportunities provided by programme and budget, creating a responsible, warm, functional and flexible building.

The settlement of the architecture on the site is the key to the project. The programme is divided into 4 buildings. These are distributed according to the slope and orientation.

 

The tallest building is the laboratory building, which is located at the northern end, so that it does not cast a shadow over the rest. The sports centre, on the other hand, is located at the southern end, slightly sunken, reducing its height.

 

The long facades of the buildings are oriented towards the southeast. Solar gain is maximised and shadows cast are minimised. Two triangular plazas provide a welcome to the centre. This creates an urban façade that stitches together the block and also a public space for the students.

 

The Centre has a dual identity. In the east, the urban one consolidates the city fabric. In the west, the other one gives access to a lush garden for the entire campus.

The garden allows sensory enjoyment of indigenous and climate-adapted trees and plants. It houses areas for activities such as reading, meditation or exercise. The garden is understood as a fundamental part of the educational project. It promotes spaces in which to study actively, to rest and to integrate what has been studied through contact with nature.

 

The main building is the Bibliographic Research Space. It houses study and reading rooms and the bibliographic repository. Facing the street, a double-height multifunctional hall allows the programming of public activities.

 

The Science Space, with laboratories and technical classrooms, is a flexible building, with curtain systems and movable partitions.

 

Between the Bibliographic Research Space and the Science Space, there is the meeting center. Its volume signals the presence of access to the entire Centre. Its double-height interior, finished in wood, has visual continuity with the garden.

 

To the south of the site, the Sports Hall is designed in contact with the existing courts, taking advantage of the slope along the entire plot to integrate the building into the topography.

 

The volumes are simple but rhythmic. The structural elements are visible on the outside. Versatility and energy efficiency guide the choice of each type of façade. The interior finishes prioritise the use of wood-derived materials to guarantee functionality, warmth and economy.

Following the principles that we apply in all our educational architecture projects, which are based on a meticulous study of the programme and the site, size and position of the buildings, this project creates clarity, openness, flexibility and functionality. Responsible choices create a universe from which students can create their own place, learning and developing emotional and social bonds in a diversity of architectural spaces and social situations.