Mediterráneo
TAC! Festival
Valencia, ES
2023
This project pays tribute to the Mediterranean climate by recognizing the role of blinds as an architectural element that historically enabled people to adapt to challenging weather conditions. Whether in a Venetian or Alicante style, these blinds have brought vitality and character to countless streets across southern Europe. However, modern mechanical systems, driven by high energy consumption, have replaced these traditional solutions, posing environmental risks. Constructed using sustainable, bio-based, and local materials, the project features long wooden blinds suspended from a cantenary canopy that hangs from two triangular wooden porticos. The vibrant shade produced by the blinds transforms the piazza into a lively public space. Additionally, a circular opening in the canopy illuminates a small garden with vegetation and water, regulating temperatures during the end of summer. Stones integrated into the design serve as both counterweights and furniture. Over the course of the festival, numerous community members are invited to explore and interpret the city's forgotten site. The entire project follows sustainable principles, with the wooden elements acting as a long-term carbon sink. Moreover, the project is committed to complete material recirculation after dismantling, leaving a temporary footprint in the city.
Status:
Ongoing. Competition Entry, 1st Prize
Author:
Manuel Bouzas
Client:
TAC! Festival,
Organizers:
MITMA Spanish Government, Arquia Foundation
