economy faculty

Faculty of Economic Sciences at the University of Buenos Aires Competition
Second Prize

DESCRIPTIVE MEMORY

A University is a meeting environment for learning and research. Based on this premise, we suggest the creation of a large, open, common space, that we call ìThe School Parking. This a a place which facilitates interaction of the entire academic community. Such place opens towards Cordoba Ave. enlarging, in this way, the existing narrow sidewalk and an elegant Loggia that gives access to ìThe School Parking. Every approach path is there. Those from the present building and two pedestrian ramps that lead: one to the classrooms, the graduates department, the faculty offices, and the other, to the Assembly Hall.. The areas are linked between them, by means of vertical circulation and the new building connects with the existing one by half grades. It is important to point out, that it is very easy to open the magnificent ìBernardo Houssay Patio to the approach balcony of the new Assembly Hall. This reinforces the idea of adding further value to ìThe School Parking. The visual centers, from the approach ramp, link the new space, above traffic level, with the Bernardo Houssay Park. The entrance to the parking lot is suggested on J.E. Uriburu Street. In this way, vehicles do not interfere with pedestrian circulation and besides, we avoid imposing yet another conflict (long lines) on the already chaotic and intense traffic on Cordoba Ave. The classrooms open to generous circulation, which acts as a real extension of the same. The street parallel to Cordoba Ave.is the buffer of the noise there produced, and the street parallel to Uriburu St., which is wider, absorbes in this manner the circulating flow coming from the vertical core. The Headmasters Office and the research offices are located on the upper floor, since that is the area with the smallest flow of people. An even surface of precast concrete elements, cover the front and back facades of the new building. A variation of their intensity differentiate the spaces with educational activity, from those of general circulation. This uniformity achieves, through the lack of carpentry work, an emphasis of the noble neoclassic built of the traditional School building.

Architects: Ignacio Montaldo, arch. Silvia Colombo, arch. Eugenio Ottolenghi, arch.
Collaborators: Bernardita Allen, Gabriela Marcos, Magdalena Seal.
Location: Buenos Aires City, Argentina
year: 2004
Area: 10.656m2
Status: Competition