Vital Building / Mozas Aguirre arquitectos
Architects: Mozas Aguirre arquitectos – Javier Mozas & Eduardo Aguirre
Location: Madrid, Spain
Project year: 2005
Construction year: 2007
Client: Local Savings Bank: Caja Vital Kutxa Headquarters
Structural Engineer: NB 35, Madrid
Artists: Javier Perez: two walls and ceiling of the main hall / Miguel Gonzalez de San Román: paintings on the basement
Site Area: 11,042 sqm
Constructed Area: 16,578 sqm
Photographs: Cesar San Millan
This is the headquarters for the local savings bank. The building reproduces the scale of the surrounding small woods, a park of the Natura 2000 networking programme.
The floor plan has a chromosome shape with four arms.
The structural concept is based on pairs of exterior metal supports, clad in stainless steel composite panels. One of the arms has been conceived as a 26 meter cantilever. In this case the concept changes and the pairs do not have any structural function.
A double height hall located in the heart of the building has its two façades enclosed by a work of art. They have been constructed with bright red polyurethane panels with a manually painted biological pattern.
The idea is to identify the building as a live organism in motion. A black skin made of glass protects the inhabited spaces behind the stainless steel pairs.
Publication material via v2com
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- general plan
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- first floor plan
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- north elevation
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- south elevation
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- section 01
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- section 02
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- structure axo
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19 comments »
the facade looks slightly akin to the ruins of the world trade centers
This is a really cool building. It feels heavy and light simultaneously, and I think it looks great in the landscape. The best photo, though, is the wintry construction photo of the skeleton of the facade. Gorgeous.
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http://www.contemporaryartdaily.com
Uh, eww! What were they trying to do?
The facade reminds me of the bird’s nest in beijing. I wonder if the client demanded something similar to that? …I would not be surprised.
very beautiful, though I’d like to see a better picture of that cantilevered section.
what confuses me is the snow. in madrid? i had no idea.
The Caja Vital Building is in Vitoria-Gasteiz, in the North of Spain. It’s not in Madrid.
What’s your objection, Scott? I’m not sure I would know how to answer your question about most buildings. It doesn’t seem like they work making a point, particularly. If you’re wondering what’s interesting about it, mainly the facade, but also, I would argue, the integration of an architecture-specific artwork into the design.
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http://www.contemporaryartdaily.com
first of all the façades of the building seems impressive. but the following pictures and the ”The structural concept is based on pairs of exterior metal supports, clad in stainless steel composite panels. One of the arms has been conceived as a 26 meter cantilever. In this case the concept changes and the pairs do not have any structural function.” sentences made me search for a ‘monsteration’ kind of concept. unfortunately the project seems to stand in between to behave as a structural building or to show off monsteration.
positive but not yet completed.
agree Sinking Cities said
The Brakedance.
Это не брейк данс, это ГРАЙНДКОР нах. ну ооооооооооооооооооочень хорошее здание…..ну воообще хороооооооошеееееееееее
НУ ДА НУ ДА …
what is that crap hanging off the concrete?
oh…
the facade walks a fine line between building and scrap yard but i find it quite striking overall especially from a distance and the interiors are lovely. could certainly do without the suspended facade sections though really it’s enough without having to be floating as well.
what is the idea of this project ????????????
Beijing’s Bird nest stadium looked more natural than this one.Low hills around do not indicate if this is part of nature or an unnatural substance. Has it landed on earth from a remote planet?Like cubism and modern art the building canvas leaves open many questions–which may have many answers.Chromosome concept and banking function may gel–but the design raises unknown questions.
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