Ecomuseum of the Vega of Almería

The objective set out in the competition brief was to "design of a building that by its conception conveys the essential ideas of a "typical farmhouse" of the Vega de Almería. A new, contemporary reinterpretation of this type of construction must be achieved".

The design arranges distinct white volumes that correspond to the different elements of the program, linked by a circulation space that connects them, reminiscent of the image of the traditional farmhouse as an architectural construct generated by an organic growth that is structured by a Cartesian geometry.

Formally, the design appeals to popular Mediterranean architecture, with thick, smooth, whitewashed walls. Typological elements are also reinterpreted, such as the porch, a traditional space characteristic of these kind of typologies, which was fundamental for both work and recreation in the sweltering summer days.

The design of the outdoor areas revolves around the theme of water as an essential element for agriculture in arid climates, and the reinterpretation of the small infrastructures linked to its storage and distribution: ponds, irrigation channels and drinking troughs.

The design contemplates both active and passive energy saving measures in order to make a building with zero energy consumption and maximum saving energy rating. It has a small photovoltaic plant and Canadian wells, through which air circulates taking advantage of the thermoregulatory properties of the subsoil, which is then recirculated inside the building.