Municipal Eco Building and Crafts Centre, Granada, Spain.

Albaicín, Granada.

The crafts centre Patio Zoco was the winning project in a national competition. The original proposal aimed to investigate the concepts of urban integration and sustainability. The building was designed along a north-south oriented street to take advantage of the prevailing southerly breeze.

The enclosures are  massive, executed with high inertia ceramic pieces and large air chambers. The entire construction sits on ventilated chambers, which partially preserve archaeological ruins. The communal areas of the building are  spaces with natural ventilation under movable shading.

Thanks to the north-south alignment, indoor ventilation is created, allowing the entry of fresh air in the building from the access garden, and the enclosed patio to Gallo alley. The access area has a wooded area garden and a promenade covered with tarpaulins in summer, as well as pools with waterfalls  and small fountains. The entrance space acts as a gateway to the building, but at the same time it serves as a bio-climatic element generating natural ventilation.