Aigua de Vilajuïga Complex / TwoBo Arquitectura + Luis Twose Arquitecto

Aigua de Vilajuïga Complex / TwoBo Arquitectura + Luis Twose Arquitecto - Interior PhotographyAigua de Vilajuïga Complex / TwoBo Arquitectura + Luis Twose Arquitecto - Interior Photography, BeamAigua de Vilajuïga Complex / TwoBo Arquitectura + Luis Twose Arquitecto - Interior Photography, BrickAigua de Vilajuïga Complex / TwoBo Arquitectura + Luis Twose Arquitecto - Interior Photography, Brick, BeamAigua de Vilajuïga Complex / TwoBo Arquitectura + Luis Twose Arquitecto - More Images+ 29

  • Area Area of this architecture project Area:  2000
  • Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2020
  • Manufacturers Brands with products used in this architecture project
    Manufacturers:  JUNG, Adobe, Cerámicas Ferrés, ICONICO, Marset, Santa & Cole, Trimble, cerámica elías
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Aigua de Vilajuïga Complex / TwoBo Arquitectura + Luis Twose Arquitecto - Exterior Photography, Brick, Door

“Aigües de Vilajuïga” is a building complex that cannot be understood without the essence and presence of the water flowing under it. An underground aquifer of carbonated water that has flown non-stop since 1904. The wells and the buildings scattered in the area are the tip of a world that has never seen the light of day. 

Aigua de Vilajuïga Complex / TwoBo Arquitectura + Luis Twose Arquitecto - Interior Photography, Brick
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Site Plan
Aigua de Vilajuïga Complex / TwoBo Arquitectura + Luis Twose Arquitecto - Interior Photography, Brick, Facade

How do you shine light on something that takes place underground? The project had different tasks. Fitting the factory installations, wells, storage facilities and building new training facilities, exhibition showrooms and office spaces. 

Aigua de Vilajuïga Complex / TwoBo Arquitectura + Luis Twose Arquitecto - Interior Photography
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Ground Floor Plan
Aigua de Vilajuïga Complex / TwoBo Arquitectura + Luis Twose Arquitecto - Interior Photography

And we changed nothing… on the surface. The atmosphere of what was there seemed timeless and worth keeping intact. An old 19th century farmhouse (which remained long after everything else around it passed) became our framework: We cleaned and organized the main house, small blocks and modernist building unveiling forgotten details that captivated us.

Aigua de Vilajuïga Complex / TwoBo Arquitectura + Luis Twose Arquitecto - Interior Photography, Beam
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Section
Aigua de Vilajuïga Complex / TwoBo Arquitectura + Luis Twose Arquitecto - Interior Photography

And we changed everything… underground. We wanted to go close to the source. Make the experience of going deep for the water something tangible for visitors. Dig, descend and bring to the spotlight what's usually hidden. In the middle of the garden, concealed behind a wall of cypress trees we found a huge circular water tank that went 6 meters deep. This was our shot at going down below and expose the foundations of Vilajuïga.

Aigua de Vilajuïga Complex / TwoBo Arquitectura + Luis Twose Arquitecto - Interior Photography, Brick, Beam
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Sketch
Aigua de Vilajuïga Complex / TwoBo Arquitectura + Luis Twose Arquitecto - Interior Photography, Beam

We dug around the tank until we could see the round wall from the outside. And through the wall we stepped inside, displacing the water to a layer on top and using its reflections to fill up this new space, like memories enabled by skylights in the ceiling. Submerged skylights. The rest was simple. The gardens were remade as if nothing had happened. 

Aigua de Vilajuïga Complex / TwoBo Arquitectura + Luis Twose Arquitecto - Interior Photography, Brick, Beam
Aigua de Vilajuïga Complex / TwoBo Arquitectura + Luis Twose Arquitecto - Exterior Photography

We made way for two things into this underground site: light and people. The first one slips in like waterfalls, scattering freely from the skylights vertical drop. The second one, people, is meant to walk down ramps, slowly, like swimming, from the bright surface into the twilight where the water used to flow quietly. The site and the tank, undisturbed, speaks of the permanence of Vilajuïga. The ramp suggests movement on to the next stage.

Aigua de Vilajuïga Complex / TwoBo Arquitectura + Luis Twose Arquitecto - Exterior Photography

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Project location

Address:17493 Vilajuïga, Girona, Spain

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Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.
About this office
Cite: "Aigua de Vilajuïga Complex / TwoBo Arquitectura + Luis Twose Arquitecto" [Aigua de vilajuïga / TwoBo Arquitectura + Luis Twose Arquitecto] 16 Apr 2021. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/960052/aigua-de-vilajuiga-complex-twobo-arquitectura-plus-luis-twose-arquitecto> ISSN 0719-8884

西班牙农舍改造,倒置圆盘的地下暗河 / TwoBo Arquitectura + Luis Twose Arquitecto

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