Viewing Platform, Pamplona Bridge, Echavacoiz Building Images, Architecture

Urban Elevator in Echavacoiz

Spanish Viewing Platform, Pamplona design by ah asociados, Spain

27 May 2014

Urban Elevator in Echavacoiz, Pamplona

Design: ah asociados

Location: Echavacoiz, Pamplona, north east Spain

The Urban Elevator project emerge from an R+D+I study on Pedestrian Mobility in “Echavacoiz Norte”, commissioned by the City Council of Pamplona to the Innovation Department of ah asociados. In this research, three critical areas with historical accessibility and urban integration problems were detected and could be solved by implementing mechanical systems.

Echavacoiz Elevator

One of these three critical areas was to resolve the precarious pedestrian ramp access and stairs which overcome thirty meters height difference between levels. These accesses were also used by neighbors of “Urdanoz Group” to reach the elevated area where there was a perimeter walkway and the neighborhood of “Echavacoiz Norte”.

Echavacoiz Elevator

This project was intended to solve current accessibility problems through two footbridges and a lift, which turned into an urban reference of the integration of Echavacoiz into the city and into an object sensible to its own urban landscape. This has been possible by linking the upper pathway with the river park and with the future neighborhood of the AVE.

Echavacoiz Elevator

The pathway along the Elorz River and the one to the neighborhood encountered in the bridge. This made it possible to introduce new pedestrian and cyclist roads between the two urban levels and implement an architectural element that turned the panoramic footbridge and the panoramic tower into one.

Echavacoiz Elevator

The project enhances the simplicity of each element, avoiding any excess of constructive formalism. The great structural effort of the uneven footbridge has been solved by a robust section that extends between its bases and creates an image of an arcade opened to the new neighborhood.

Echavacoiz Elevator

The basic shape of the footbridge is formed by a continued beam from which the supports of the footbridge pavement are born. This pavement has been made of sheet metal plates. The exterior of the beam and the lateral levels of the tower are also covered by a folded steel plate to get visual continuity to enhance the urban character of an element that emerges from the hill and is supported by the head of the footbridge.

Echavacoiz Elevator

The horizontal part of the bridge turns into vertical where it meets the tower, in such a way that the format of steel structure element and steel skin is repeated. The asymmetry of the footbridge protects the pedestrians of wind and let them see a new territory whilst the vertical element is robust and strong in its lateral levels. The landings opened to the landscape with the minimum expression of materials.

Echavacoiz Elevator

The two main features of this project are formal simplicity and clear structure. These two define an element that is converted into a reference, a gate and a connection between two urban realities that are no longer separated by a topography that caused marginalization and now union.

Echavacoiz Elevator

Urban Elevator in Echavacoiz – Building Information

Location: Echavacoiz, Pamplona (Lat: 42.8020694 Long: -1.675516), Spain
Architects: ah asociados (Miguel A. Alonso del Val, Rufino J. Hernández Minguillón, Marcos Escartín Miguel, Mikel Zabalza Zamarbide)
Design team: Patricia Biain Ugarte (Project Manager), Esperanza Marrodán Ciordia, María José Alonso Pérez, Xabier Eskisabel Azanza.
Engineers: Eduardo Ozcoidi Echarren (Structure), Javier Gironés Navarlaz (Facilities), Michel Aldaz García-Mina (S&H).
Client: Strategic Projects Area, Pamplona City Council
Project date: 31/01/2012
Start work date: 08/10/2012
Completion date: 03/07/2013

Photographs: Imagina2 visualization studio


Urban Elevator in Echavacoiz images / information from ah asociados

ah asociados

Location: Echavacoiz, Pamplona, Spain

Bilbao Building Designs

Spanish Buildings

Contemporary Spanish Architectural Projects

Spanish Architectural Designs – chronological list

Spanish Architecture Practices

Contemporary Spanish Houses

Spanish Architecture – Selection

Former Haystack Refurbishment, Mora, Toledo province, Castile-La Mancha, central Spain
Design: OOIIO Architecture
Former Haystack Refurbishment
photo © OOIIO Architecture & josefotoinmo
Former Haystack Refurbishment in Toledo

Guggenheim Museum
Architect: Frank Gehry
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao

Logroño Montecorvo Eco City, Rioja
Design: MVRDV & GRAS
Logroño Eco City

Alcaniz Leisure Complex – Motor City, northeast Spain
Design: Foster + Partners
Motor City Building

Comments / photos for the Urban Elevator in Echavacoiz – Pamplona design by ah asociados page welcome