The building is situated in the Paseo Ruzafa in Valencia and in its environment you can find different architectural styles that form a part of a similar complex. Nevertheless, it is predominated by the buildings of the XIX Century with which it tries to establish a dialogue, as it is the noblest part of the street. The design of the front of the building responds by respecting the adopted standard of the urban environment of its location. It pursues the image of the front of the building, possessing its own distinguished character without dominating the complex, and completes the harmony of the street.
The tectonic aspect of the front of the building, with a high proportion of blank parts has a character that follows the guidelines that distinguish the surrounding buildings. These are used as a reference of the composite rhythm, the proportion of the holes and the height of the wrought iron. The front clearly distinguishes the three levels in the harmony that corresponds to the different uses assigned to each of the floors.
The first level shows a light floor that includes two levels for the access and use of the commercial sites. It is the most public part of the building and is connected to the street by a transparent area that allows entrance to the interior and exterior.
This consists of a transparent skin of glass and vertical elements of aluminium sections, finished with matte Granulated Oxiron paint. The density of the metallic laminate frames some shadow on the end middle walls of the front, identifying the access and accentuating the limits of the front of the building. In the central part, the latticework opens onto huge panes of glass that connect the commercial part to the street, striving to maintain the continuity of the unit.
On the second floor, we find the part assigned for office use. The front of this section consists of solid and hollow elements following a rhythmic harmony. It solidifies at the ends, increasing the passiveness of the front of the building in this area in such a way that it defines and delimits in the same way as the floor. The solid parts have been designed by applying Sand stone of 4cm thick in a matte beige tone with an earthy look, and the holes are enclosed by transparent structural glass over the hidden sections of aluminium.
And lastly, the roof area is of a set-back volume compared to the lines of the front of the building, and is finished by using a waterproof covering that hides the installations in a delicate and careful way.
Certainly it is a composition with character, but in such a natural way that it fits into the historical complex, complementing it as just another piece.
This project was developed together with the architect Julio Lacomba.