ABOUT MENIS ARCHITECTS IN THE
PRESIDENCE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE CANARY ISLANDS (TENERIFE ISLAND).
Situated in a
strategic geographical location between the European and American continents,
and yet close to Africa, the Canary Islands constitute a logistic Atlantic
intersection between these three continents.
The
location of the Presidential headquater of the canary Islands Government
contitutes the starting-off point of the urban restrcturing of the historic
area of the city of Tenerife. Fernando Menis (www.menis.es)
won a public competition for this building.
The
carácter of the building is trengthened by the mixing of fissured masses of
basalto (volcanic local stone) and ecological concrete. (part of MENIS philosophy
of work is “cero kilometer” and
always use materials from the place he is working on). The emphatic image of
the building dialogues with the urban landscape, and plays a significant role
in the urban structure of the place. The unified envelope, whose fragmentary
carácter takes on a certain autonomy, develops around a piece of architecture
of enormous cultural importante to the city: “ the patio of the Casa Hamilton.”
The
island contex in which his professional activity unfolds, one circumscribed by
the immensity of the Atlantic
Ocean, is characterized by a morphology that is volcanic in origin, and by
specific attributes of luminosity, color, the trade winds, the maritime
horizon. All these being a source of energy, and inspiration for us. This is
another part of our vision of the process of work: always think in the place
where Menis is going to work.
The
planning strategy is defined more by complicity in the ongoing search for lines
of action and Communications with the client than by the following of current
disciplinary system. This is other of Menis characteristics: the continuos
briefing with the client.
In
the Project development we seek to get most out of the material and the
implements that have emerged and been tested in other different building in the
island.
The
recuperation and reinterpretation of artisanal labor, originating in
tradicional building system, encourages the incorporation and contribution of
the workers in the building work. This link leads to Joint participation and to
a reciprocal research and learning process founded on aerlier Works.
The
volumes of the Presidential building dialog with the brackdrop of the mountains
physically delimiting the city to the northeast: the Cordillera de Anaga. The
scheme, located in an historic urban enviroment, embraces the San Telmo church,
the San Carlos Barracks and a Group of trees, Indian laurels, in the parade
ground of the latter. The extensive and unified urban space of the publibined
with c plaza in essentially defined by its paving and vegetation. Smooth
surfaces of Black basat are combined with areas of paving ash and tree-shaded
zones of volcanic grave. The historical layout of the paths, plazas and former
city wall are affirmed by utiizing
boulders or lines of Stones, these being integrated into the geometry of the
zone.
The
building, in which all the facilities relating to the Presidency of the
Goverment of the Canary Islands will be housed, is sited to the west of the
west of the plaza and is planned as a mix of large masses of stone around one
of the finest examples of Worden architecture created in the Canaries in the
eighteenth Century: the patio of the Casa Halmiton. The tea wood patio was
dismantled at the time of the demolition (on the 80s) and stored until the
moment of its actual
reconstruction. So here it is other of MENIS way of work: re-use,
recycle, remake…
The
volumes and spaces of the building are directly defined by the load-bearing
structure and, characterized by a continuity between form and material, the
construction manages to become a means of expresión. The solid is pierced by
two axial hollows: a central crater and horizontal passageway across this.
These axes intersect in a confluence of visitors, of transparent views, of
interrelated floors, of incoming lihgt and natural ventilation that is
formalized in the restored patio. Beginning with the spatial factors that this
central entity generates, each floor is characterized in a different way.
The
ground flour throught which one enters, devoid of supports and resolved with
huge structural spans, incorporates the library and function room, and press
offices, these spaces being
formalized by the concrete structure alone..
The
first floor functions as a single vertically structured slab. The honeycombed
concrete scrrens that subdivide the administrative uses of the area configure
the large edgeways on girders supporting the lower and upper ceilings.
Stone,
ecological concrete and recycled wood are the materials that, mixed in
different ways, determine and lend meanig to the facings of the building. While
on the outsider all the large volumes are constructed wiht facings of rough,
quarry-cut basalto, in the more important interior spaces stone of varying
colors and texturas will be used, stone coming from the different Islands
(Tindaya from Fuerteventura in the Fuction Room, red Gomera stone in the
Reception Room.)
The
building is very confortable for work, in the words of the President of the
Canary Islands and his staff.
