2nd Prize in International Competition for the restoration and reconfiguration of Beti Jai, a disused pelota venue in the center of Madrid. With SOF-T / TallerDe2 (Arantza Ozaeta and Alvaro Martín Fidalgo)
Madrid (2018)
“3000 sqm of extra court space” considers spatial and technological strategies to transform the Beti Jai into an inclusive and accessible urban space, expanding its specialized function as a sports court in order to welcome diverse bodies and the different constituencies of Barrio de Chamberi—an extremely dense area in the center of Madrid. The project opens up the ground floor of the building and connects it to the different balconies through a complex system of ramps, resulting in a considerable expansion of public space. The ramps, rather than hidden, are displayed behind a glass wall that organizes the new pelota court. The 19th century landmark building thus dialogs with a state-of-the-art spatial technologies and construction systems with their corresponding priorities, sensitivities, and aesthetics.
Ignacio G. Galán [igg – office for architecture] + SOF-T / TallerDE2 (Arantza Ozaeta and Alvaro Martin Fidalgo).
Collaborators: Jorge Chico Jiménez, Alberto Sánchez Sánchez, Paula Rodriguez Vara and Pablo Saiz Del Río.