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2022

MCHAP

Pabellón en el Parque de Mayo

BRA - Bernardo Rosello Arquitectura

Bahía Blanca, Buenos Aires, Argentina

May 2023

AUTOR PRINCIPAL

Bernardo Rosello (Project Manager and Construction Director)

AUTOR CONTRIBUYENTE

Ing. Enrique Gil (Structural Verification), Arq. Cecilia Trobbiani (Project Manager and Construction Management), Arq. Inés Valdovino (Project Manager), Arq. Lucia Achilli (Project Collaborator and Construction Assistance), Barbara Ardissino (Project Collaborator and Construction Assistance

CLIENTE

Andrés Stacco - Tridente Gastronomía SRL

FOTÓGRAFO

Nicolas Herrero

OBJETIVO

In response to this existing condition, the project establishes two distinct and clearly differentiated design strategies:
*Refurbishing the Old Construction: The first strategy involves repurposing the old building, with a strong emphasis on not demolishing anything that is not strictly necessary. In contemporary practice, preserving as much of the original material state as possible is considered paramount. All services, including bathrooms, changing rooms, kitchen, cold storage, and storage rooms, are incorporated within the restored old structure. This “box” is then clad with a modular system of vertical metal panels, which geometrically organize it visually, providing formal synthesis to the work.
*Landscape Reversibility: The second strategy is based on another fundamental ethical principle: the ability to restore the current state of the park in the future. The park is a public space that belongs to society as a whole. Therefore, any new addition to the landscape must allow for absolute reversibility. This means that any new structure within the park can be easily removed without altering the preexisting landscape and environmental conditions. To achieve this, a system of steel modules is designed. These modules are prefabricated in industrial workshops and then assembled on-site to minimize the impact on the terrain. The modular structures measure 3m x 6m (a sub-module of the standard size of metal profiles). The construction kit, both for the structures and enclosures, utilizes catalog pieces composed of UPN profiles, tubes, metal angles and standard glasses.

CONTEXTO

The gastronomic pavilion is located in the most important park in the city of Bahía Blanca (Parque de Mayo). The intervention is carried out as part of a systematic plan to enhance the city’s public spaces by the administration. This park already had four symbolic gastronomic stalls, which were significantly deteriorated and, in some cases, closed to the public. Our project focuses on one of these old degraded structures and restores it.
Regarding its placement, the new construction, is anchored to this preexisting context. From there, two parallel but staggered “strips” are projected, incorporating the new gastronomic program. These strips move in search of a shaded area and find it within a small “forest” nearby. Simultaneously, they visually orient themselves toward the stream and the pedestrian-bike path that flanks it. The positioning of these structures aims to intertwine with the existing trees on the site, enhancing the interaction between the object and the landscape. Primarily, this design utilizes the natural shade as a “brise soleil” during the summer months.

ACTUACIÓN

The project has demonstrated remarkable performance in recent months across various dimensions:
*Climatic / Environmental: As is publicly known, the city of Bahía Blanca experienced one of its most significant historical natural disasters: “the storm of December 16, 2023,” with wind gusts reaching 180 km/h. Houses, buildings, and sports centers were devastated by the magnitude of the phenomenon, causing irreversible damage to many structures. However, the pavilion withstood the storm without any inconvenience. This resilience can be attributed to precise structural design and, most importantly, its location, which anticipated protection from the prevailing southwest winds.
*Social / Cultural: The project has become a point of reference and gathering within the city. Unfortunately, prior to its construction, there were no recreational facilities that allowed such a seamless interaction with a high-quality public space like Parque de Mayo. In summary, a virtuous cycle was activated through public policy involving economic investments by a private company. Architecture played a crucial role in enhancing a public space for the entire community.

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