The Ruela de Caramoniña is an historic path that linked the top of the Almáciga hill with the Historic city of Santiago in between the two religious complexes of Santa Clara and San Domingos de Bonaval.
The intention of the proposal is to relink the Ruela to the network of public spaces, parks and garden of the city, augmenting the permeability of the north edge of the Bonaval park and becoming a transitional space between public allotments, Almáciga neighbourhood and park. New openings on the perimetral walls of the park allow for a visual permeability, bringing natural light into the Ruela.
As far as the buildings are concerned, the proposal identifies and maintains the typology of the Rueiro: buildings that define a path, accessed from the front and orchards and gardens on the back. The group of houses next to the new Caramoniña complex is considered the most appropriate for short term accommodation for students of the Universidad de Santiago de Compostela. There ruins next to the dwellings on the lower section of the Ruela are transformed to house resident artists of the CGAC. The project also explores the potential to transform the buildings within the park in a workshop also for resident artists of the CGAC.
In terms of construction, the proposal looks for an equilibrium between conservation and utilisation at various scales. It is intended to optimise the thermal envelope of buildings preserving their traditional and typological character. A palette of simple and robust materials favour the integration of these new spaces in their material context, seeking a continuity with the cultural heritage where they belong.
Credits:
International design competition: 2nd prize, 1st honourable mention
Project title: Ruela de Caramoniña
Location: Santiago de Compostela, Spain
Competition: 2020
Architect: Estar, Aurora Armental Ruiz & Stefano Ciurlo Walker
Collaborators: María Bergua Orduna, Johanna Hemberger, Alejandro Morales, Ana Vidal, Oscar Ortega
Building engineer: Moni Valado
Model photography: Andrés Fraga