Environmental commitment

Environmental commitment

ZARAGOZA (ES) - The headquarters of the Environment and Public Space Service (Forestry & Natural Areas Section) stands on the bank of the Ebro River, where Expo 2008 was held. In line with the theme of this particular Expo – 'Water & Sustainable Development' – the masterplan envisaged the sustainable post-Expo redevelopment of the site as a linear city park (see A10 #15).

Magén Arquitectos elaborated on that theme in their design for this building. Their aim was to create both 'an intense relationship with the landscape' and 'an intrinsic relationship between the environmental commitment of the project and its materiality'.

They designed the building as a continuation of the park landscape, emulating the existing gradient of the site and the walls of a former electrical substation. This concrete substructure supports a viewing platform and a two-storey glass and wood pavilion. The public functions (administration, environmental classroom) are on the upper level of the pavilion, while the lower level contains offices with restricted access.

The roof has been designed as a continuation of the public space, with outlook points at various levels, shallow flights of steps, terraces and an outdoor auditorium. Given the building's function, the architects were also keen to give this space a certain 'pedagogical character' by means of landscaped timber decks and solar panels. (Kirsten Hannema)