Comenza railings in the renovated Market in Vitoria
Speaking of the city and architecture in Vitoria is to speak of a common and continuous effort to develop a sustainable urbanism, where streets, squares and all the rich network of public spaces celebrate a reunion with nature, places where we can perceive the promotion of sustainable mobility and the creation of healthier and more environmentally efficient urban environments.
It is this awareness of a contemporary city committed to its comprehensive development that envelops and supports the architectural transformation of the Santa Barbara Market and the technical team – Barcena and Zufiaur Arquitectos together with José Antonio Barroso – who were faced with the challenge of enriching and adding to the market’s urban fabric, in a location so close to the historic centre, with new spaces, new services and new uses capable of attracting a wider public, of revitalising and providing coherence of the whole, of making a city.
The project thus becomes a “catalyst”, a meeting place, confronting the complex programme of needs with simple and efficient strategies that have made it possible to reconcile the pre-existing and the new, the social and the commercial, the large supermarkets -El Corte Inglés occupies the first floor and the BM supermarket the basement- and the small shop -the Market itself occupies the ground floor.
The metamorphosis can be clearly seen on the southern façade, with the rhythm introduced by the new double height portico – in steel and glass – and a large upper terrace dedicated to organic stands that crown the work of vegetation, perceptible thanks to a delicate minimalist perimeter finish, in this case, our GlassFit SV-1401 Top (top mounting) and GlassFit SV-1402 Side (side mounting) glass railing systems – both safety systems accredited in accordance with CTE regulations regarding the use of railings in public spaces (1.6kN) – with a timeless design that precisely erases material limits, allowing visitors to encounter the city again and enjoy it from all planes, without barriers. Protection becomes diaphanous, immaterial, ensuring safety without imposing its presence.
Photo credits: Barcena y Zufiaur