Biar Community Center and Auditorium
Location: Alicante (Spain)
Year: 2024
Type: public competition. 3rd prize
Client: Ayuntamiento de Biar
Area: 2350 sqm
Team: Pablo Valero Escolano, David Úbeda Sales, Giorgia Colombo, Michele Grazzini, Andrea Tonazzini
Collaborators: Bianca Grilli
Building engineer: Rosalino Daza Fernández
Resource: Suq al -Qattanin, Jerusalem
Our proposal for the new Associations Center and Auditorium in Biar is rooted in the urban values of the site. The intervention aims to integrate the new cultural facility into the city while fostering interaction with its surroundings. The plot occupies part of the late-medieval wall of Biar, at a point marked by a change in direction due to the presence of the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption. This condition has created a complex block between the old town and the city’s expansion, characterized by mixed scales and heights. The project is conceived as a gateway to the historic town, emphasizing its role as a threshold and main point of access to the old village, while unifying the block and strengthening its strategic urban presence.
The design focuses on stitching together and harmonizing the block, connecting the new facility with the Ferris house-palace on the east side and residential buildings on the west. A volumetric scheme adapts heights to the adjoining buildings, respecting the urban fabric while ensuring a clear and flexible program.
The building is organized into four main volumes:
- The first, taller block houses the atrium, conceived as a public passage linking General Azcárraga Street with Barrera Street. This space keeps the building active, hosting multiple activities. Above it, a multipurpose hall benefits from optimal natural light through north-facing skylights.
- The second and third blocks contain the auditorium. Dividing it into two volumes helps integrate its considerable scale into the context. Designed for maximum flexibility, it includes a perimeter corridor and natural lighting via skylights, which can be darkened when required.
- The fourth block, a pavilion-tower, accommodates the Associations Center and connects vertically with the rest of the building. A rear patio resolves boundaries and creates a green outdoor space linked to the atrium.
Materially, the proposal uses local limestone cladding and ceramic pitched roofs, establishing dialogue with the medieval wall remains and the larger-scale architecture of Biar.