A scattering of light

A scattering of light

TERUEL (ES) - In the historical centre of Teruel, a town in north-eastern Spain, b720 Arquitectos' new design for the Plaza Del Torico aims to accentuate the centuries-old urban fabric while also making the refurbished square an asset in its own right.

The brief – to modernize the paving, lighting and overall aesthetics of the square – could have been fulfilled by simply replacing the old systems, for the plaza already had a good spatial ambience. But the client was insistent about adding a contemporary touch.

The triangular plaza, surrounded by baroque and art nouveau facades and with a large fountain in its centre, was transformed by integrating an installation of 1230 LED lights with the granite paving. The lights are arranged in a scattering of straight and diagonal lines and refer to two medieval cisterns located underneath the square, which have now been made accessible to the public. The parallel lines mark the position of the ancient rain collectors, while the swirling pattern in the middle appears to flow like water around the fountain. During the day, the long LED light boxes (45 to 76 cm long) reflect the light. After sunset, with the subtle white-blue lighting, the square really comes into its own. (Hannah Schubert)