Space of presence

Project idea

The main idea of the project is the organic synthesis of memorial and public architecture. This project is intended to become a place of remembrance for the terrible events of the civil war, while simultaneously reintegrating a formerly disconnected territory into the urban fabric and creating a core for the city's future development.

The philosophical foundation of the project lies in the artistic interpretation of culturally significant imagery and natural motifs expressed through architectural form. The national flower of Argentina was chosen as the key image, while an important part of the work was the preservation of the genius loci – the spirit of the place.

This territory should become a place of melancholy and contemplation, a meeting place for people, and a space of active memory.

Project description

The master plan developed within this concept includes:

Historical Complex – the preserved buildings of the former military base, transformed into a museum and exhibition space. It is a linearly oriented structure, with four single‑storey barracks serving as the core exhibition pavilions. The complex also contains an administrative building and the main entrance to the territory, designed as a square.

Public Buildings Complex – comprising an opera theatre, a conference hall, and an educational centre. This is the social core of the Active Memory Centre. The buildings form a unified ensemble occupying a central position at the southern tip of the Arsenal territory, precisely where it divides residential blocks, disrupting the urban connectivity. The ensemble acts as a link connecting the historical complex with the Lower Park.

Lower Park – a recreational area in the southern part of the Arsenal, featuring a regular layout oriented from west to east, connecting residential districts. This solution allows the restoration of the lost urban connection and the creation of a continuous environment.

To the north of the historical complex lies the Memorial Park. Given the low integration of the Arsenal's facilities, it was decided to create a closed route from the historical complex to the memorial zone, the centre of which is Galpón 9 – a building that served as a prison. The restricted zone around the building is framed by a circular path, which simultaneously defines its boundary and forms part of the memorial installation, symbolising the border between life and death. Adjacent to it is the Memorial Square – the main entrance to the Galpón territory.

At the northern tip of the Arsenal is the Northern Park – an irregularly structured area designed to connect residential areas to the east with the Memorial Park and future residential developments to the north of the city.

This planning solution facilitates the integration of the Arsenal into the urban environment, transforming the formerly vacant territory into a core and foundation for the city's further development northward.

Technical information

The architectural solution is likewise largely dictated by the goal of preserving the original image of the barracks structures.

The reconstruction of the historical complex follows the principle of a palimpsest. The original wall finishes and brickwork have been preserved and conserved. The fragmented roofs have been replaced with new ones. The structure is based on steel truss frames. Thermal architectural glazing with a tinted coating is used as the roofing material. A second layer of perforated Corten steel panels is mounted on brackets. This solution maintains the appearance of a fragmented roof while achieving the required performance characteristics. The perforated panels also create a play of light and softly shade selected areas of the roof.

The public buildings complex borrows certain elements from the barracks, integrating accent features whose imagery refers to natural structures. Such borrowing allows the parts of the park to be visually united by a single stylistic direction while preserving their individual identity.

The ensemble has a broken, angular layout – dictated by the requirements of the master plan – which also allows the buildings to be oriented to ensure a visual connection with the barracks.

The core of the composition is the concert hall. The building has three floors, and its form refers to the national flower of Argentina. The ground floor features through‑permeability, enabling optimal distribution of pedestrian flows and access from all sides – an important consideration given the building's location.

The conference hall building has a tripartite structure. The massive central volume serves as the entrance group and main lobby. The wings of the building have a gallery layout, and the corridors can be used as exhibition space. Inside, there are two conference halls of different capacities, as well as a block of individual meeting rooms with their own separate lobby. The building's layout allows for flexible adaptation of spaces to the needs of various events.

The educational centre has a similar structure but is divided into two blocks – a classroom complex and a media library. Its pronounced public function corresponds to the object's position as the central part of the Lower Park. This solution is intended to provide access to educational infrastructure for residential areas east and west of the Arsenal.

All three buildings stand on a common massive stylobate, which unites the ensemble into a single whole, serving as the trunk of the composition.

Documentation

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