EGA-El otro

8/22/2019 EGA-El otro

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EL OTROmentos con metlicos reflejos bullicio-

sos y silencios opacos de hormign. Lametfora calderoniana halla en ellosuna rplica al pie de la letra.

Pero los otros, guerreros, lo acosan:pues son belicosos y en serlo les va elestar adonde estn. Son como esasfuerzas (en la guerra como en la gue-rra y en el mercado como en el mer-cado) que fuerzan la (falsa) paz des-de la guerra. Ellos amenazan y semarcan arrogancias fatuas: en el ges-to variopinto difieren unos de otros,pero coinciden en el alarde agresivo,

que sus sombras ominosas magnifican.Y a la vista de esta urbe-ficcin, el via-jero recin llegado evoca tal vez aquelparaleleppedo redentor que, en 2001,una odisea del espacio, era smbolo derazn e indicio de humanidad.

Por la geometra en la arena de la is-la aparentemente desierta supo Aris-tipo, el nufrago de Vitruvio, que ha-ba en el lugar seres inteligentes: si songemetras, se dijo el personaje, es quesus habitantes son humanos (era geo-metra eucldea, desde luego, no frac-

tal). Y recuerda ahora el viajero de hoyque hubo una vez una civilizacin: oquiz ms de una quin sabe? Y hu-bo arquitectura para sustentarla: laprueba es que an la hay, aunque searara. Hablamos de arquitectura rigu-rosa y sobria, que guarda sus hechizos(y no son pocos entre sus recursos) pa-ra los adentros, en la reserva clida de

La obra de Javier Garca Solera

discurre sobre una suerte de bajo con-tinuo que la recorre y sustenta: suhermosa compostura. Bella palabrasta que el castellano refiere al dif-cil equilibrio entre lapostura, que esalgo natural y la composicin, quesupone inevitable artificio. Hay enella un estar (composicin) de porteeducado y amable, sereno y elegan-te, y un ser (postura) firme, decididoy muy personal, casi arrogante porlo inslito. Esa hermosa compostu-ra, inherente a un saber estar arqui-

tectnico, se asienta sobre una fac-tura impecable (asimismo marca deautor), un ser arquitectnico que seafianza en la construccin.

Elegante presencia y cuidada he-chura, conjugadas, son constantes deuna obra que, a pasos contados, ha idotrazando una trayectoria autoral jalo-nada de premios y que refrenda el msreciente de Vivienda de Proteccin Ofi-cial con el que la X Bienal Espaola deArquitectura y Urbanismo ha seala-do estos 40 apartamentos tutelados.

En un entorno como el de Benidorm,especie dejardn de los guerreros queparodia el que cubre la Pedrera de Gau-d, de pronto se nos aparece un OVNI,como recin aterrizado, al que ampa-ran slo nubes y sol, una poca tierra re-movida alrededor y algn arbusto deljardn que no se har esperar: y l, ra-ra avis, responde agradecido a los ele-

66 EL OTRO

Joaqun Arnau Amo, Elia Gutirrez Mozo

sus interiores apacibles y en el secreto

en voz baja de sus vecindades gozosas.Es sta arquitectura que rescata elsuelo en el que puso su huella y lo res-tituye, pero no en la azotea, como hi-zo el maestro, sino a la altura justa, in-termedia, adonde lindan vecinos dearriba y de abajo y a la que el espa-cio pblico no es ajeno. Los vecinosque vienen de arriba son los ms (hayms pisos por encima), pero no sonmenos los de abajo, pues a la plantainmediata inferior suman vecinos lacalle y el barrio asequibles. Y lo co-

mn a ellos no est arriba o abajo, alprincipio o al fin, sino a medio cami-no de las alturas, en esa encrucijadaque ejerce como rellano de vecindad:ni demasiado alto (porque no es un pa-norama lo que se busca), ni demasia-do bajo (porque tampoco se trata decoincidir a ras de suelo).

Esa tercera planta colectiva, entre lasegunda y el resto privadas, se acusa, co-mo es natural, en la geometra del blo-que: lo muerde, pero no le remuerde. Esla mella que siempre hace el bien comn

en los individuos cuando estos se insta-lan de buen grado en el seno de una co-munidad bien concertada.

Otros servicios, la lavandera y susanejos, no compartidos, pero comuni-cados, contribuyen al encuentro entrevecinos de planta y animan el juego delos pasillos. Son espacios semi-reserva-dos que articulan la convivencia en ese

Hermosa composturaDesta inferior y varia arquitecturaQue, entre sombras y lejos,A la celeste usurpas los reflejos.

Pedro Caldern de la Barca


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Porque ella misma es tute

lumbran a la vista y vociferan. Y entretanto y entre ellos, hay una arquitectu-ra real que roza lo invisible (la que nosocupa): que toma su racin de espacio,no ms de la justa, y la administra enprovecho de sus tutelados. Porque ellamisma es tutela.

Sus disposiciones no son serviles (elcapricho que pervierte el justo ejerci-

cio de la libertad ha sido desterrado deella: todo en esta obra es coherente y hasido discurrido y argumentado), sinoserviciales: arbitran a su modo la mejory ms callada tutela. Arquitectura cui-dada y que cuida: esmerada y que tratacon esmero.

Y su tutela pone, como premisa, lapaz: una paz que destaca por no desta-car, que llama la atencin por no lla-marla, en la selva, que no jardn, de losguerreros. Es terrena en un espacio denfulas interplanetarias, real entre fan-

tasmas, remanso de vida en un paisajede lujosos mausoleos. Sin embargo, ytras una conversacin con ella apacibley prolongada al sol de medioda, el pai-saje que vemos se transfigura: la escenaurbana? se la puede llamar as? o esacaso c(s)mica? hace mudanza (comoen el viejo teatro). Los guerreros hacenmutis por los agujeros negros, abduci-dos por la nave nodriza.

Estamos en casa: y no estamos solos.Hay vecinos que tamizan el sol, que

se asoman al aire, que entran y salen, querondan alrededor. Ellos creen, quiz, quelos otros les miran: porque no saben que,aunque parezca que estn, no estn.Tampoco saben quin sabe? que lascuencas de los otros ojos estn vacas:no vinieron a ver, sino slo a ser vistos.Y que son como humo, que un mnimosoplo marino despeja. Como dira Lo-os, esto, y no aquello, es arquitectura:

dominio abstracto al que los juristas de-nominan propiedad horizontal.

Con estas y otras providencias, todauna comunidad, poblada pero no po-pulosa, organizada con sentido comny sentido propio (que ambos nos son in-dispensables), vive, se mueve y es, en unespacio econmico (en el sentido ge-nuino de gobernado por normas do-

msticas y de vecindario que no con-sienten ni la estrechez ni el despilfarro)al que la arquitectura ajusta, en cada ca-so, la escala discreta que ella conoce me-jor que nada en el mundo. No estamosante un Existezminimum: pero tampo-co en el ancha es Castilla de ciertossueos de opulencia. Ni el suelo ni elvuelo son plvora de rey.

As, el bloque de 40 apartamentos tu-telados, abstracto en el mejor sentido,es decir conciso, cumple desde la disci-plina moderna el ideal clsico, albertia-

no, de la concinnitas, que Lozano tra-duce por compostura (Caldern): quenada sobre, que nada falte y que cadacosa est en su sitio. Lo cual, en un en-torno de figuras locas y de sueos defantasa mercantil, es provocativo (co-mo lo fue Ulises al alcance de las sire-nas, o el ardiente Bautista frente a la cas-ta Salom). El celo de esta quieta ydiscreta arquitectura, medida y ponde-rada, sencillamente moderna, atiza elfuego de las imgenes pos-modernas quela disputan el nombre.

Porque los guerreros estn ah y noparecen dispuestos a abandonar el cam-po, frenticos en su grotesca danza tri-bal. Slo que, como en Amenbar, losque parecan ser de siempre, los insta-lados a perpetuidad, son Los otros.Ellos, y no el supuesto por inslito, sonlos OVNIs. Ellos son los advenedizos deotro planeta (quizs inhabitable): des-

68 pero l lo dice de una tumba sencilla yesto no lo es, aunque parezca sencillo.Esto es la casa, comn y propia, hechatutela y custodia de una vida comn.

Cierta tradicin hizo descender al ar-quitecto del agricultor y sedentario Ca-n, el hermano fratricida de Abel, gana-dero y nmada. El arquitecto, queconstruye para permanecer, pertenece a

la raza cainita. Pero el arquitecto Gar-ca Solera da un vuelco a esta siniestratradicin poco favorable al gremio: a lapregunta de Can acaso soy yo el guar-dian de mi hermano? responde con unfirme y rotundo s. Todos cuidamosde todos en una arquitectura que, paraempezar, nos cuida. Y, cuando se es ma-yor, esto no slo es deseable, es impres-cindible para una vida plena.

Esta arquitectura es slida, pero pa-rece ligera: fuerte, pero parece frgil. Esuna robusta encina, pero parece una ca-

a elegante. Su severidad vela sus deli-cadezas y stas la distienden. Su raznes la corteza que tutela el dilogo, ni-co ejercicio a resguardo de brotes fan-ticos: y aqu estn, una y otro, razn ydilogo, edificados y (diramos si no fue-ra que la palabra suena a moralina ba-rata de otras pocas) edificantes. Nolo son en ese anacrnico sentido que qui-so ver en la arquitectura escuela de bue-nas costumbres: pero lo son en cuantoconsienten, y aun tutelan, una cierta vi-da en comn.

Y una nota final. Tutela y tutorson palabras cuyo uso parece haber que-dado recluido al mbito acadmico yque tal vez nos convendra airear. Am-bas proceden del latn, adonde la matrizde la familia es un verbo, tutari, que asu vez deriva de otro, tueor, que signi-fica ver, en el sentido de velar, de pres-tar atencin y estar atento


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Los 40 apartamentos tutelados pa-ra mayores en el sector La Cala de Be-nidorm, Alicante, obtuvieron elPre-mio de Vivienda de Proteccin Oficialen la X Bienal Espaola de Arquitec-tura y Urbanismo.

Fecha de Proyecto: septiembre de 2005.

Fecha de Final de Obra:septiembre de 2008.Arquitecto: Javier Garca Solera.Colaboradores: Lola Prez Pay(arquitecto).Domingo Sepulcre (estructura).Aparejadores: Marcos Galludy Javier Mateu.Promotor: Instituto Valencianode la Vivienda.Empresa Constructora:Sedesa Obras y Servicios S. A.Presupuesto total: 3.085.892 euros.Superficie construida:Edificacin: 5.240 m2.Urbanizacin: 1588 m2.Costo/metro cuadrado:589 euros/m2.


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en el compromiso de que damos (debemosdar) un autntico servicio social; en la con-ciencia de que no es de nosotros de quientoca hablar con nuestra arquitectura y en laresistencia necesaria para decir no y sin em-bargo combatir el desaliento y seguir.

USTED HA ESCRITO QUE SU INTERS COMOARQUITECTO SE HA DESPLAZADO, A LO LAR-GO DEL TIEMPO, DESDE DEL DIBUJO A LA

CONSTRUCCIN, IMPECABLE EN SUS OBRAS.EN UNA CULTURA DE LA IMAGEN, COMO LANUESTRA, SUPERFICIAL POR DEFINICIN, C-MO VIVE ESA APUESTA POR EL OFICIO?

Nada es la arquitectura sin la realidadfsica de su construccin. La arquitec-tura dibujada es y ha sido muy til pa-ra nosotros en nuestro aprendizaje con-tinuo, pero nada es para todos losdems que son los destinatarios ltimosde toda arquitectura. Deca Oza que elmejor dibujo de arquitectura es aquelque le puede ser entregado a un opera-

rio para su construccin. Soy un con-vencido, y lo soy porque ya lo he vivi-do, de que cada obra susurra al odo dequien la piensa cmo quiere ser hecha;de ello ha escrito, y muy bien, AntonioMiranda. Con construccin puede nohaber arquitectura, sin construccin nopuede haber arquitectura.

CMO CONCIBE EL PERFIL DE QUIENES, SESUPONE, SON DESTINATARIOS, EN ESTE CASO(APARTAMENTOS TUTELADOS EN BENIDORM),DE SU ARQUITECTURA? CMO SE EJERCE LATUTELA, DE HECHO, SOBRE LAS PERSONAS

MAYORES QUE HABITAN ESTOS APARTAMEN-TOS? PUEDE LA ARQUITECTURA CONTRIBUIRA ELLO, AL CUIDADO DE LOS OTROS OBSER-VANDO EL MXIMO RESPETO POR SU AUTO-NOMA Y SUS FORMAS DE VIDA? DEBE?

Siempre he dicho que lo ms hermosodel encargo particular es construir pa-ra un alguien concreto, y que la gran

Creo que la arquitectura desarrolladacomo una actividad que busca esta-blecer vnculos reales con la vida inte-resa a ms personas de lo que pensa-

mos. No sern capaces de enunciarloas pero sern satisfechas por ella. Elproblema surge cuando con la arqui-tectura buscamos hablar de nosotros,construir nuestra identidad frente a lade los dems, la artistizamos, en-tonces se abre un abismo entre el ar-quitecto y los otros. Aunque habraque distinguir, pues, con seguridad,aquello que yo llamara arquitecturano le interesa por supuesto al poder, nial hombre de negocios.

EN TODO CASO A QU ATRIBUYE O EN QU

HABRA QUE FUNDAR LA IMPRESCINDIBLECREDIBILIDAD DE NUESTRO TRABAJO DE AR-QUITECTOS PARA SEGUIR ADELANTE SINDESFALLECER?

En pensar que cada oportunidad que surgees la que tenemos y es real; en la incondi-cional posicin de defender la dignidad deeste trabajo y a todos los que ste incluye;

SIN ENTRAR EN LOS TPICOS AL USO (CRISIS,SOSTENIBILIDAD) PERO NO PUDIENDO IG-NORAR CUESTIONES CANDENTES HACIADNDE APUNTA, EN SU OPININ, LA ARQUI-

TECTURA EN ESTA POCA DE VACAS FLACAS?

Es difcil saber qu ser de las pro-puestas arquitectnicas que han de ve-nir, que han de surgir quiz de la re-flexin que debiera traer esta crisisgeneral. Si he de ser sincero, pienso queel discurso que se har ms visible vol-ver a ser el ms superficial o falsa-mente comprometido, el que sepa ma-nipular la situacin para generar denuevo arquitecturas sorpresivas que sevendan bien. Creo que la pura mani-pulacin que se hace constantemente

de trminos como el de sostenibilidadpor las arquitecturas que amparadasen ello saltan a los medios fundamen-ta suficientemente mis dudas.

ES EVIDENTE QUE USTED CREE EN LA ARQUI-TECTURA, PUESTO QUE LA CREA. ADEMS DEUSTED Y UNOS POCOS MS A QUINES IN-TERESAN NUESTROS PRODUCTOS?

0

entrevista a JAVIER GARCA SOLERA


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y hermosa responsabilidad del encargopblico es imaginar ese alguien y tra-bajar para l. Acercarse a la vida, ob-servar sin ser visto, mezclarse y enten-der, intentar comprender cunto porhacer para aproximarse a una respues-ta capaz de albergar las mltiples for-mas de habitar, de vivir, que pueden lle-gar a acontecer en aquellos espacios. Yointento propiciar tan slo posibilidad y

para ello que la arquitectura acompa-e sin nunca protagonizar.

USTED HA MANIFESTADO, EN ALGUNA OCA-SIN, QUE NO DESEA ACEPTAR ENCARGOS SI-TUADOS A UNA DISTANCIA QUE EXCEDA SURADIO DE ACCIN, PARA GARANTIZAR SUPRESENCIA ASIDUA EN OBRA. EL CASO DE BE-NIDORM CUMPLE, OBVIAMENTE, ESE REQUISI-TO, PERO PODRA COMENTARNOS SI SU DE-CISIN LE SUPONE RENUNCIAS IMPORTANTES?EN LA ALDEA GLOBAL, NO SE SIENTE USTEDEXCESIVAMENTE LOCAL? Y, SI SE DESPLAZAPOR RAZONES DOCENTES, POR QU NO POR

LAS OBRAS?

Ocurre que necesito estar muy prxi-mo a la construccin para poder estaratento a los ltimos susurros de la obra,ya en ejecucin, indicndome cmoquiere ser hecha. Ello me lleva a inten-tar buscar el encargo en un radio de ac-cin que me permita continuidad depresencia en la obra. No lo busco, pe-ro no renuncio por supuesto a construirlejos. Si surge alguna posibilidad pon-dr los medios para que la distancia noimpida esa continua comunicacin.

TAMBIN LE HEMOS ODO, ALGUNA VEZ, QUEUSTED PROYECTA CONTRA LAS CIRCUNS-TANCIAS. CULES FUERON, EN EL CASO DEBENIDORM, ESAS CIRCUNSTANCIAS CONTRALAS CUALES PROYECT?

En Benidorm trabajamos contra la ideaconvencional de que lo pblico y lo pri-

vado se excluyen, de que la ciudad sedibuja tan slo en el suelo, de que loslmites tienen que ser fsicos y rgidos,de que lo comn no es posible, de que

los viejos con los viejos y los jvenes en-tre ellos, de que la calle es una fronte-ra, de que el hormign es un materialduro y fro, de que el metal es fro y du-ro, de que un edificio tiene cara y es-palda, y que aquella es la importante

SU PROPUESTA PARA EL CONCURSO PREVEAUNA TORRE (PARA JVENES) Y UN BLOQUE(PARA MAYORES). ACUSA RECIBO LA SOLU-CIN DEFINITIVA DEL BLOQUE DE LA AUSEN-CIA DE SU COMPAERA LA TORRE?

Benidorm es una obra que ha sido muy

celebrada pero para m siempre serun proyecto frustrado. El importantereconocimiento que ha tenido me tran-quiliza sobre su estado actual pero creoque el proyecto completo tena tantoen trminos sociales, como urbanos,como tcnico-constructivos es deciren trminos arquitectnicos, mucho

ms alcancesiento pena al pensarque estuvimos a un paso 1.

USTED TRABAJA HABITUALMENTE CON VO-LMENES DE NO MS DE TRES PLANTAS. PA-RECERA INCLUSO QUE EL ESPACIO PABE-LLONARIO DE UNA SOLA PLANTA, MIESIANO,ES SU MEDIO NATURAL, EN EL QUE DA LASENSACIN DE SENTIRSE CMODO Y SEGU-RO. CMO SE ENFRENT AL BLOQUE DE B+10

DE BENIDORM?

Es cierto que tengo confianza en labondad del espacio fluido y horizon-tal, tambin en la eficacia de los dosplanos (suelo y techo) para crear rela-ciones valiosas entre interior-exteriory natural-artificial a ms de su exce-lente rendimiento funcional. En Be-nidorm no hicimos sino explorar elapilamiento de mltiples variacionesde esa misma disposicin.

USTED DESTINA A USOS COMUNES, ADEMSDEL BAJO Y PRIMER PISO DEL EDIFICIO, EL TER-CERO: EL SEGUNDO Y EL RESTO ALOJAN LOS40 APARTAMENTOS. HAY ALGUNA RAZN PA-RA QUE SEA SE PRECISAMENTE, Y NO OTRO,EL QUE INTERRUMPA LA CONTINUIDAD VER-TICAL DEL BLOQUE?

En esa planta se mantiene una relacinan muy intensa con el espacio de lacalle lo cual refuerza su carcter p-blico. El hecho de estar entre plantasde viviendas hace sentirla en el interiorde lo privado y por tanto potencia la

invitacin a la propia casa hacia quie-nes, viniendo de fuera, accedan a ellaen compaa de los vecinos.

EN LA GEOMETRA ORTOGONAL QUE, CON AB-SOLUTA PRECISIN, RIGE TODO EL PROYECTO,UN GESTO, POR EXCEPCIONAL, SE NOS APA-RECE COMO ALTAMENTE SIGNIFICATIVO: LABARANDILLA. POR QU ES INCLINADA?

1/ El proyecto de Benidorm tiene su origen en dos concursos endos solares a ambos lados de la calle. En uno de ellos tuteladas

para ancianos, en el otro tuteladas para jvenes. Nosotros plante-

amos un mismo proyecto conjunto para ambos solares tendiendo

incluso un puente fsico que los una. Obtuvimos el 1 er premio

para ancianos y el 2 para jvenes.


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Una mirada atenta a la seccin expli-ca bien cmo esa barandilla intenta su-perar la condicin de lmite que siem-pre tienen; es una invitacin a sentarsehacia el interior usndola como res-paldo y con parte del cuerpo en el ex-terior. Por otra parte, esa configura-cin facilita el manejo y cuidado de lasprevisibles macetas que, esperemos,irn poblando las bandejas metlicas

que ejercen a su vez de parasol sobrelos acristalamientos de fachada.

LOS ESPACIOS PARA LAVANDERA OBTIENENUN TRATAMIENTO SINGULAR: PODRA CO-MENTARNOS ESTA DISPOSICIN?

La lavandera es uno de los servicioscomunes que se prevn, qu mejor queubicarla en esa planta donde poder en-contrarse, sentarse al aire libre y con-versar mientras esperamos que termi-ne el programa de color.

ENTRE SUS COLEGAS DE OFICIO EN ACTIVO,ESTRELLAS O NO, ADMIRA A ALGUNO ENPARTICULAR, O COMPARTE CON EL/ELLA SUSPROPIAS CONVICCIONES?

Me interesa siempre ms la obra queel autor, aunque algunos casi siempreme ensean: la simplicidad de KazuyoSejima, la economa y acierto tcnicode Lacaton-Vassal, la identidad entrearquitectura, construccin y estructu-ra de Paulo Mendes da Rocha

QU LE DIRA AL JOVEN, O NO TANTO, QUEACABA DE OBTENER UNA BUENA NOTA PORSU PROYECTO FIN DE CARRERA?

Eres arquitecto, nada te puede ser in-diferente y no tengas prisa.

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51/ GIMNEZ CRUZ, A.: La Espaa pintorescap. 346-348,2002.52/ Letter of 2 July 1833 from Seville. Quoted in GIMNEZCRUZ, A.: La Espaa pintorescap. 273, 2002.

1/ Beautiful composure of this lower and variedarchitecture, which, between shadows and distance,usurps these heavenly reflections.

it still exists, even if it is a little strange. We refer tostrict, sober architecture, which keeps its spells (andit has many of these among its resources) to itself,in the warmth of its peace-loving interior and in thesecret whisperings of its contented neighbourhoods.This is the architecture that rescues the ground onwhich it leaves its trace and restores it, but not onthe roo f, as did the master, but at the appropria teheight, where those who live above meet those wholive below, and to which public spaces are nostrangers. The residents of the upper floors are in themajority (there are more floors above), but those who

live below are no fewer, since the next floor down in-cludes passers-by and neighbours. And that whichis common to them is neither up nor down, at the be-ginning or at the end, but halfway up, at the cross-roads which acts as a neighbourhood landing. Nei-ther too high (because they are not looking to admirea view) nor too low (because neither do they wish tomeet at ground level).This collective third floor, between the second andthe other private ones, stands out, as is only natural,in the geometry of the block. It bites, but not too hard.This is the effect that the common good always hason individuals when they move into the heart of wellchosen company.Other services, the laundry and its surroundings, notshared, but connected, promote contact betweenthose who live on the same floor and invite to play in

the corridors. These are semi-private spaces that en-courage community living in the abstract domainknown to lawyers as horizontal property.With these and other services, a whole communityof people, but not too many, organised with commonsense but also with their own individual sense (bothof which are indispensable) lives, moves and existsin an economic space (in the real sense of being sub-ject to domestic and social norms that rule out bothwant and waste) to which architecture fits, in eachcase, the discreet scale which it knows better thananything else in the world. We are not in either aclosely restricted space or in the unlimited spaceof those who suffer from delusions of grandeur. Wehave, after all, to live within our means.Thus, the block of officially protected flats, abstractin the best sense, that is to say concise, satisfies fromwithin modern discipline the classical Albertian ide-al of the conncinnitas, which Lozano translates ascomposure(Caldern): Let nothing be in excess andnothing lack and everything be in its place. Which,in surroundings with mad figures and dreams of com-mercial fantasy is provocative (like Ulysses withinrange of the Sirens, or the ardent Baptist in the pres-ence of the chaste Salome). The zeal of this quiet anddiscreet architecture, measured and pondered, sim-ply modern, stokes the fires of the post-modern im-ages that dispute its name.

THE OTHER

by Joaqun Arnau Amo, Elia Gutirrez Mozo

Hermosa compostura

Desta inferior y varia arquitectura

Que, entre sombras y lejos,

A la celeste usurpas los reflejos.1

Pedro Caldern de la Barca.

The work of Javier Garca Solera is impregnated andsustained with a sort of basso continuo: or beauti-ful composure. This beautiful word, which in Span-

ish describes the difficult balance betweenposture,which is something natural, and composition, whichis inevitably artificial. The word connotes a polite,friendly, serene and graceful manner together witha firm, determined and very personal, highly unusu-al and almost arrogant posture. This beautiful com-posureof architectural technique is founded on theimpeccable execution of this architect (from whomwe have been led to expect nothing less) whose artis expressed in the form of buildings.A combination of elegance and attention to detail isa constant element in the work of this architect,whose career has included many awards, the lat-est being from the 10th Spanish Architecture and Ur-banism Biennial for the building of 40 apartments un-der the Official Protection of the State.In surroundings such as those of Benidorm, a sort of

warriors garden, a parody of that which coversGauds Pedrera, there suddenly appears a UFO, sup-ported only by clouds and the sun, with a little dis-turbed earth at its base with the occasional bush inthe garden that is soon bound to appear. And he, therara avis, gratefully responds to the elements withnoisy metallic reflections and opaque concrete si-lences, in a perfect replica of Calderons metaphor.But the others, the warriors, assault it. Because theyare warlike and because they are where they are.They are like the forces (in war, as in war, and in themarket as in the market) that impose a (false) peaceby war. They threaten and are ridiculously arrogant.They all have different gestures, but all display thesame aggressiveness that is magnified by their omi-nous shadows. And on viewing this city-fiction, thenewly arrived traveller perhaps is reminded of thatredeeming parallelepiped which, in 2001 SpaceOdyssey, was a symbol of human reason.By the geometry in the sand of the apparently desertedisland, Vitruvius has the shipwrecked Aristippusrecognise that intelligent beings live in that place. Ifthey are geometricians, Aristippus says to himself,the inhabitants must be human (it was Eu clideangeometry and of course not fractal geometry). Todaystraveller now remembers that there was once a civil-isation, or perhaps more than one, who knows? Andthere was architecture to sustain it. The proof is that

his own choice of engravings to text by ThomasRoscoe, he received ?420. According to Gimnez Cruz,with the exception of Turner, this would be the high-est price paid in the period for drawings of this type.It was a similar story with the lithographs publishedin 1837, which Roberts supervised and perfected oversix months. After their publication, 200,000 copieswere sold and they were still being printed twentyyears later51. His views were the object of countlessreeditions and imitations.This phenomenon meant that many Spanish citiesemerged as tourist landscapes, drawn and dissem-inated among an ever-expanding public. Thus, beforethe arrival of photography illustrations put on the mapareas of Spain which had until then been remote andexotic. The world became smaller and more acces-sible from the parlours of European middle-classhouseholds. Even today no respectable engravingshop would be without its stock of Roberts lithographsor engravings.In 1838 Roberts embarked on the second great ad-venture of his life, his famous trip to Egypt and theHoly Land, from which he returned in 1839 with 272sketches and drawings, which were to serve him inthe dec ade to come as the bas is for his passion-ate and sophisticated work. Between 1842 and 1849six volumes were published entitled The Holy Land,Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt and Nubia, with a to-tal of 2 47 lith ograp hs m agnif icent ly execu ted byLouis Haghe.

Out of his conviction that the effects of light andshadow [are] all that is great in art52, David Robertswould reach the height of his career in 1841 when hewas elected member of the Royal Academy, the high-est accolade to which a British painter could aspire.Roberts continued to work until his death in 1864.

INDEX OF ILLUSTRATIONS:Fig.1. Portrait of David Roberts (lithograph) by Charles Baug-niet, 1844.Fig.2. Unidentified land (pencil drawing). Private coll. D. LuisLara, Sevilla.Fig.3. The Cathedral of Burgos (engraving). Authors privatecollection.Fig.4. View Toledo (engraving). Authors private collection.


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YOU OBVIOUSLY BELIEVE IN ARCHITECTURE, SINCE YOU CRE-ATE IT. APART FROM YOURSELF AND A FEW MORE, WHOELSE IS INTERESTED IN WHAT WE PRODUCE?

I think Architecture as an activity that seeks to es-tablish links with real life is of interest to more peoplethan we think. They probably would not say so, butthey are happy with what we do. The problem aris-es when we use architecture to speak about ourselvesand establish a different identity to others. When weartistise it, then we create an abyss between thearchitect and everybody else. It is probably true to saythat what I would call architecture is of no interest ei-

ther to those in power or to big business.IN ANY CASE, TO WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THE NECESSARYCREDIBILITY OF OUR WORK, OR ON WHAT SHOULD IT BEBASED, IN ORDER TO CARRY ON WITHOUT PROBLEMS?

On thinking that every opportunity that turns up is theone we have and is real; on the unconditional posi-tion of defending the dignity of this work and of every-body involved in it; on the commitment we have (orshould have) to give an authentic social service; onknowing that it is not we who should be talking aboutour architecture and on having the necessarystrength to say no and to carry on without being dis-couraged.

YOU HAVE WRITTEN THAT YOUR INTEREST AS AN ARCHI-TECT HAS CHANGED WITH TIME FROM DRAWING TO BUILD-ING, IMPECCABLE IN YOUR PROJECTS. IN AN IMAGE-BASED

CULTURE LIKE OURS, WHICH IS SUPERFICIAL BY DEFINITION,HOW IS THIS STRATEGY TURNING OUT?

Architecture is nothing without the physical realityof building. Drawing is and always has been very use-ful to us in our continual learning process but meansnothing to all the others who are the final consumersof all architecture. Oza said that the best architectsdrawing is the one given to the worker to help himcarry out a job. I am convinced, and I know what I amtalking about because I have had the experience, thatevery job whispers into the architects ear how itwants to be done. Building can live without archi-tecture but architecture cannot live without building.

HOW DO YOU SEE THE PROFILE OF THOSE WHO ARE THEUSERS IN THIS CASE (PROTECTED APARTMENTS INBENIDORM) OF YOUR ARCHITECTURE? HOW DO YOU PRO-TECT, IN FACT, THE ELDERLY WHO LIVE IN THESE APART-MENTS? CAN ARCHITECTURE CONTRIBUTE TO THE CARE OFOTHERS WITH TOTAL RESPECT FOR THEIR INDEPENDENCEAND WAY OF LIFE? SHOULD IT DO SO?

I have always said at the best thing about private jobsis to build for somebody in particular and that thegreat and beautiful responsibility of public jobs is toimagine that person and work for him. To get closeto the life, see without being seen, get involved andunderstand, try to understandanything that willbring you closer to an answer that contains the many

This architecture is solid but seems light, strong, butseems fragile. It is as firm as an oak but as elegantas a reed. Its severity hides its delicate elements,which expand it. Its reason is the outer coat that pro-tects dialogue, the only activity safe from fanaticaloutbursts. And here they are, one and the other, rea-son and dialogue, constructed and (we could say ifthe word did not sound like the cheap morality of an-other age) edifying. They are not so in this outdatedsense that wishes to see architecture as a school ofgood customs. But they are so inasmuch as they con-sent, and even protect, a certain life in common.

And a final note. Protection (tutela) and protec-tor (tutor) are words that now seem confined to thefield of learning and which maybe we should makemore use of. Both are from Latin, in which the matrixof the family is a verb, tutari, in turn derived from an-other, tueor, which means to see in the sense of tocare for, to pay attention to, to be alert to ..

The 40 protected apartments for the elderly in the La

Cala district of Benidorm, Alicante, were awardedthe Officially Protected Housing Prize in the 10th

Spanish Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism.

Date of Project: September 2005.

Work finished : September 2008.

Architect: Javier Garca Solera.

Collaborators: Lola Prez Pay (architect).

Domingo Sepulcre (structure).Quantity surveyors: Marcos Gallud and Javier Mateu.

Promoter: Instituto Valenciano de la Vivienda.

Construction Company: Sedesa Obras y Servicios S. A.

Total Budget: 3,085,892 euros.

Constructed area: Buildings: 5,240 m2.

Urbanisation: 1588 m2.

Cost per sq. metre: 589 euros/m2.

INTERVIEW WITH JAVIER GARCA SOLERA

WITHOUT GOING INTO THE USUAL CLICHS (CRISIS, SUS-TAINABILITY, ETC) BUT WITHOUT IGNORING THE BURNINGQUESTIONS, IN YOUR OPINION, WHERE IS ARCHITECTUREHEADED IN THESE TIMES OF ECONOMIC RECESSION?

It is difficult to say what future projects will be like,those which perhaps will be derived from a processof reflection due to this general crisis. To be honest,I think that the view that will be heard most will againbe the most superficial or falsely committed, whichwill know how to handle the si tuation in order to oncemore generate surprising architecture easy to sell. Ithink that the sheer manipulation that is constantlymade of terms such as sustainability by architectsthat seek refuge under its protection provides suffi-cient grounds for my doubts.

Because the warriors are there and do not seem dis-posed to leave the field, in their frenzied and grotesquetribal dance. Only that, as in Amenbars films, thosethat seem to be always there, installed in perpetuity,are The Others. They, and not the one supposed to beout of the ordinary, are the UFOs. They are the new-comers from another planet (perhaps uninhabitable).They dazzle our eyes and shout at us. And meanwhileamong them there is real architecture that is almostinvisible (which is what we are at present dealing with),which takes up its ration of space, no more than itneeds, and manages it for the benefit of its protected

buildings. Because it itself is the protector.Its arrangements serve but are not servile (thecaprice that perverts the right use of liberty have beenbanished from it: everything in this building is coher-ent and thought out). In their own way they providethe best and the most silent protection. Careful ar-chitecture that cares: refined and behaves with re-finement.And its protection proposes peace as a premise: apeace that stands out by not standing out, that at-tracts attention by not attracting attention, in the jun-gle, not the garden, of the warriors. It is earthly, in aplace that puts on interplanetary airs, real among theshadows, active and alive among richly decoratedmausoleums. However, after a long quiet talk in themidday sun, the landscape we see is transfigured.The urban scene (can we really call it that? Or is it

co(s)mic?) moves on (as in the old time theatre). Thewarriors disappear into the black holes, taken awayin the mother ship.We are at home and we are not alone.There are neighbours that protect themselves f romthe sunlight, poke their heads out, go in and out, wan-der around. They think, perhaps, that the others watchthem, because they do not know that although theyseem to be there they are not really there. Neither dothey know, who knows? that the sockets of the oth-er eyes are empty. They did not come to see, onlyto be seen. And they are like smoke, that can be dis-pelled by the slightest sea breeze. As Loos would say,this, and not the other, is architecture. But he saysit from a simple tomb, which this is not, although itappears to be simple. This is the house, common andindividual, turned into the protector of a common life.A certain tradition has it that architecture descendsfrom the sedentary crop-planter Cain, fratricidal broth-er of the shepherd and nomad, Abel. The architect,who builds to be permanent, belongs to the race ofCain. But the architect Garca Solera turns aroundthis sinister tradition, which is not very favourable tothe profession. To the question, Am I my brotherskeeper? he firmly answers Yes. We all look aftereach other in an architecture, which, for a start, looksafter us. And when one is older, this is not only de-sirable but essential to a fuller life.

08


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RESTORING, REDRAWING, VENTURING.STRATEGIES FOR GRAPHICALLY DOCU-

MENTING THREE MONUMENTAL GATE-

WAYS OF MADRID

by Aitor Goitia Cruz

The venerable exercise of surveying presents thedouble fascination of being imperishable as well asin constant renovation. As ancient as the need forlearning and as personal as the interests or abili-ties of those who practice this art, its utility and beau-

ty have played a leading role in essential moments inthe history of architectural drawing. Andrea Palla-dio, Paul Letarouilly, or Luigi Canina to mention on-ly some of the most famous masters of documentaldrawing have allowed us to know not only the formsof older architectures, but to also understand theircomposite and tectonic keys.All of this is possible thanks to the mediation of draw-ing as an indispensable instrument in attaining andtransmitting knowledge. This perceptive aspect ofgraphic expression is found present in other appli-cations of architectural drawing, but, without doubt,is exercised in each phase of elaboration of an ar-chitectural survey: from the first sketches to the fi-nal drawings, through gathering data, general con-structions, analyses, comparisons or fine adjustmentsof forms and dimensions. In recent times, certain sci-

entific and technical advances have completely trans-formed the manner of obtaining and processing da-ta extracted from constructed works. The traditionalrules, tape measures, and plum lines, are now com-plemented- not substituted- by analogical and digi-tal land photogrammetry, total stations, or by 3D laserscanners. However, independent of the availabilityof these means, the principal task of the draughts-man resides, as long ago, in the adequate interpre-tation of the architectural work chosen and the cor-rect manipulation of the data obtained, in order tofinally determine a graphic model analogous to thetectonic one. For this reason, whichever the objec-tives, the models chosen, the techniques of inspec-tion and measurement, or the graphic solutions adopt-ed, the interpretative quality of architectonic drawingrequires a conscious investigative attitude in the ex-

ploration and determination of the elements com-posing the object of the study.As an example of practical applications of these tech-niques and attitudes, I present three surveys1 of threemonumental gates in Madrid, which are also the ob-ject of other deeper and longer studies than those in-cluded here. These are the three gateways from Tole-do, Alcal and Atocha, which correspond to situationsdifferent from the initial data. I also discuss the meanswe disposed of to approach each of these graphicdeterminations. These gateways were chosen as the

tional performance. In Benidorm, all we did was toexplore the vertical repetition of the many variationsof this arrangement.

BESIDES THE GROUND AND FIRST FLOORS, YOU ALSO IN-CLUDED THE THIRD FLOOR FOR COMMON USE: THE SECONDAND THE REST OF THE FLOORS CONTAIN THE 40 APART-MENTS. WAS THERE A PARTICULAR REASON FOR PRECISE-LY THIS FLOOR, AND NOT ANOTHER, TO INTERRUPT THE VER-TICAL CONTINUITY OF THE BLOCK?

This floor maintains a very intense relationship withthe space of the street, which reinforces its publiccharacter. The fact of being between floors of apart-

ments gives the feeling of being inside a private areaand so helps to welcome those who enter in com-pany with those who live there.

ORTHOGONAL GEOMETRY GOVERNS ALL PROJECTS WITHABSOLUTE PRECISION, HOWEVER, THERE IS SOMETHING INTHE BUILDING THAT STRIKES US AS HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT.WHY ARE THE HANDRAILS INCLINED AT AN ANGLE?

A close look at the section will explain how thesehandrails try to overcome the condition of forminga limit, which they normally do. It is an invitation tosit down facing inwards using the handrail as a sup-port with part of the body on the outside. Also, thisconfiguration will help people when tending theirplants which we expect to see on the metallic traysthat act as sunshades over the windows on the front.

THE LAUNDRY SPACE RECEIVED SPECIAL TREATMENT.COULD YOU TELL US HOW IT IS ARRANGED?

The laundry is a communal service, so what betterthan to put it on this floor where people can meet, sitout in the fresh air and talk while they are waiting forthe washing cycle to finish.

AMONG YOUR PROFESSIONAL COLLEAGUES WHO ARE STILLACTIVE, FAMOUS OR NOT, IS THERE ANYONE YOU PARTIC-ULARLY ADMIRE OR WHOSE CONVICTIONS YOU SHARE?

I am always more interested in the work than the ar-chitect. Some almost always have something to teachme: the simplicity of Kazuyo Sejima, the economy andtechnical precision of Lacaton-Vassal, the identif i-cation of architecture, construction and structure ofPaulo Mendes da Rocha..

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THE YOUNG, OR NOT SO YOUNG,STUDENT WHO HAS JUST RECEIVED A GOOD GRADE FORHIS FINAL PROJECT?

You are an architect, nothing can be indifferent toyou. And do not be in any hurry.

La traduccin de este trabajo ha sido financiada por la Uni-versidad Politcnica de Valencia.

The translation of this paper was funded by the Universi-dad Politcnica de Valencia, Spain.

ways of occupying, of living in that space. All I do istry to offer possibilities in such a way that architec-ture is present but is never the protagonist.

YOU HAVE SAID THAT YOU DO NOT WANT TO ACCEPT JOBSOUTSIDE YOUR RADIUS OF ACTION SO THAT YOU CAN PAYFREQUENT VISITS TO THE WORK SITE. BENIDORM OBVI-OUSLY COMPLIES WITH THIS REQUISITE, BUT COULD YOUTELL US IF THIS DECISION HAS LED TO YOU HAVING TO RE-FUSE IMPORTANT CONTRACTS? IN THE GLOBAL VILLAGE,DO YOU NOT FEEL TOO CONFINED TO ONE LOCALITY? ANDIF YOU CAN TRAVEL TO GIVE LECTURES, WHY NOT FOR REA-SONS OF WORK?

It happens that I need to be pretty close to the build-ing work in order to hear the latest whispers from thejob telling me how it wants to be done. This means Itry to look for work within a radius of action that al-lows me to go there frequently. I do not actually lookfor work outside this distance, but this does not meanthat I would refuse a contract a long way away. If thecase arose, I would make sure that the distance wasno obstacle to continuous visits.

WE HAVE ALSO HEARD YOU SAY THAT YOU CARRY OUTPROJECTS AGAINST CIRCUMSTANCES. IN THE CASE OFBENIDORM, WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES DID YOU HAVE TOFIGHT AGAINST?

In Benidorm we had to work against the conventionalidea that public and private jobs are different, thatthe city is only drawn on the ground, that limits have

to be physical and rigid , that the common practiceis not possible, with the old with the old and the youngamong them, that the street is a frontier, that con-crete is a hard, cold material, that metal is hard andcold, that a building has a back and a front, etc.

YOUR PROPOSAL FOR THE PROJECT INCLUDED A TOWER (FORTHE YOUNG) AND A BLOCK (FOR THE OLD PEOPLE). DO YOUTHINK THE DEFINITIVE SOLUTION OF THE BLOCK WITHOUTTHE TOWER HAS BEEN DETRIMENTAL TO THE PROJECT?

Benidorm has become quite famous but for me it willalways be a frustration. The wide recognition that ithas received reassures me that it has been a suc-cess, but I think that the complete project had somuch in social and urban terms, technical possibili-ties, I mean in archi tectural terms it co uld havebeen much wider. It pains me to think we were only

one step away2

.YOU USUALLY WORK WITH VOLUMES NO GREATER THANTHREE STOREYS. IT COULD EVEN BE SAID THAT A MIESIANSPACE OF A SINGLE FLOOR IS YOUR NATURAL MEDIUM INWHICH YOU SEEM TO FEEL AT HOME. HOW DID YOU TACK-LE THE 11-STOREY BLOCK IN BENIDORM?

It is true that I feel at home with fluid, horizontal spaceand also with the efficacy of two planes (floor andceiling) to create valid interior-exterior and natural-artificial relationships, apart from their excellent func-

2/ The Benidorm project was based on two competitionsfor two sites on different sides of the same street, one ahome for the elderly and the other for young people. Weproposed a joint project for both sites that even had abridge to join them. We obtained the first place for the oldpeoples residence and the second for young people.

1/ In a strict sense, we should not speak of survey in all ofthe cases, as one of the edifications studied no longer exists.

EGA-El otro

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