Speculative Proposal in San Sebastian
This disused and neglected eight storey office block in San Sebastián was identified by Sabbadin Corti for speculative development. Our analysis of the former Telefónica building led to an exhaustive feasibility study that responds to the demand for residential property in Gros, which we believe, would add value to one of the city’s most vibrant neighbourhoods.
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San Sebastian, Spain
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Residential
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2017
San Sebastián, or Donostia in Basque, is one of the most popular city’s in Spain. Known for having one of the oldest language, culture and traditions in Europe, the area also has a world-class culinary landscape, yearly international film and jazz festival and has a coastline of particular importance for surfing.
The site is situated on the north-west side of the city which is enclosed by the Zurriola beach to the north, and the Ulia promontory to the west. The neighbourhood is separated from the city centre by the river Urumea which can be crossed by multiple bridges.
The building is within an area mostly composed of six to seven storey apartment blocks and commercial properties. The area is punctuated by large pedestrian squares, wide pedestrian footpaths and double lane streets with parking spaces. Plaza de Catalunya, near where the building is located, is the biggest public square in Gros, with the San Ignacio Church to the southwest and Gran Via to the northeast.
The tree-lined square has a generous underground car park, a children’s playground open to the public and many bars and restaurants.
The existing office building is an exception for the area that exhibits the architectural vernacular from the late 19th and early 18th Century. Often apartments will have impractical layouts, poor light, lack of amenity space and restricted views.
The elevations of the proposed building are almost identical on both sides with a continuous squared bay, fixed glazed, facade that runs from the first to the sixth floor. It includes a basement and an attic that is set back from the front and rear elevations.
Typically for blocks of flats in the area, there are ‘exterior’ flats that face the street with more light and ventilation, and ‘internal’ flats that face a courtyard with less. Our proposed design eliminated this distinction by organising apartments around a central core that houses the corridors and services.
This meant each apartment could be placed on the ‘exterior’ of the building each with its own private enclosed balcony, and with much-improved natural light. The roof would be equipped with solar panels that connect to the main electricity grid of the building.
Additionally, a water collection system would be installed to recycle rainwater through a filtration process to prepare it for reuse. To inform our choice of form, material and detail for the building’s facade we reviewed and categorised the types of exteriors in the area.
This led to a delicate approach that both references the architectural history of the area without overdesigning the facade to entirely correspond with it. By retaining fragments of the building’s existing narrative it gave us the opportunity to give the building the chance for a new one.
