Master thesis. July, 2008.
The master thesis can be viewed in UPC Commons. It consists in a case of restoration and a transformation from a dwellings building into an archive and museum.
The project has been done due to the help of the neighbours who let me into their houses.
We will be translating the text of the panels in new posts.
The project is located in Sallent, in the center of
The original village was limited by water which gave the population a natural protection: the Llobregat river, Cornet at north and the Riereta at the south, where the project lies.
The water was also the clue to the economic development of Sallent. It gave energy to the textile industry during XIX century and until the middle of XX century. Before that, the rivers were necessary to water the plantations.
Until XIV century the city wall was made by the houses with their own walls. On 1464 the bishop of Vic ordered to introduce new defence constructions.
So, between water and stone lies the project.
Archive and museum: Clos street n.5-9 and Portalet street
Archive and museum: Clos street n.5-9 and Portalet street
The building is located on one of the first crossroads of Sallent. Maybe it accomplishes a defence task as we can read on some texts from XVIII century and see in remainders of the city wall next to the basement.
Nowadays it’s used as a dwelling building, with some parts abandoned like the basement. So we proposed to turn it into an archive and a museum. At the same time, it can be opened to the street and to the back yard where we found the Riereta.
The archive is in the main building, growing high and defining its uses through different floors. From the top floor we can enjoy the view of the mountains and the Riereta.
The museum is located in the small building, arriving through Portalet street. From here we can visit some interior and exterior spaces to discover the building and its relation with the different historical phases.
The basement is opened to cultural activities such as some exhibitions related to the museum, but also other activities. It is divided in two spaces. The big one is used for lectures, videos, etc. The small one is dedicated to children.
The Riereta Park
In the backyard of the building we can find different levels of the city wall, and between them, the small mountain stream known as “la Riereta ”. With some staircases, we can connect this new park with the village.
Opening this zone means to rediscover historical structures, but also to improve pedestrian paths.
The Archive and the Museum form the first important point in the park. The second point is an historical structure which nowadays is abandoned. This is transformed into an open pavilion for exhibiting sculptures. His roof can be used for entering the park and also for organizing dramatic works, projecting films…
After studying existing vegetation a new plantation is proposed, always with local species, and at the same time, in relation with exterior and interior pedestrian paths.
