Public Library in Ceuta: Construction site © Fernando Alda

Construction site photography is of great importance to our studio and we constantly try to overcome, by applying strong economic incentives, the reasons for not turning it into a widespread practice. The knowledge that it gives us both about the project, its space and basic ideas, puts us in an optimal position for the completion of final report. That record allows us to completely cover our concept of documentary architectural photography, providing valuable information for the various participants of the architectural process (administrations, invertors, architects, construction companies, specialists …), something that cannot always be done from the finish.

We are currently conducting follow-up documentation and photographic work in the new public library in Ceuta. The project by Paredes Pedrosa Arquitectos won the architectural competition in 2007 and has been published by some media.

As shown in this entry, a complex work of foundations and structures, metal and concrete, is being developed to define a very important formal aspect of this building, sharing space  with the medieval remains called Huerta Rufino, originating in the fourteenth century. SCALAE, Documentary Agency of Architecture published an interesting reference to that project that can be viewed in this link.

“According to forecasts of the Ministry, works will begin this year, and is expected to end in 2011. By now, the main works were granted to a contractor of the works of the future new State Public Library in Ceuta. Specifically, Works Shall Be Borne by Acciona Infraestructuras, and budget will 6,8 million euros. This is an important base budget reduction of tender, that was first estimated around 8,3 million.”