DETAIL Prize 2012: Administrative Regional Center for the Development of local Alabaster

Nominated for DETAIL Prize 2012: Administrative Regional Center for the Development of Local Alabaster, Hijar (Teruel), Spain
Magén Arquitectos

The "Regional Center for the Development of Local Alabaster" in Teruel, Spain, designed by Magén Arquitectos is dedicated to the export of alabaster and to the cultural promotion of handicraft and craftsmanship involving alabaster, which is mined in the region. The new building is located near an abandoned silo next to an isolated federal highway on the outskirts of the city. Not having to take account of urban restrictions, the architects decided in favour of an autonomous, compact and structurally uncomplicated building. Due to a lack of any urban-planning references, a situation was thus created from the landscape, the history and the existing culture of the location. Made of local rock and alabaster, the building is intended to look like an abstract and geometrically interpreted rock formation. The opaque and translucent surfaces serve as exhibits themselves and illustrate the expressive possibilities of the material in daylight and under artificial lighting. Also reflected on the inside is the outer arrangement of the massive elements. The interior spaces intersect and overlap each other, creating a dynamic system of hollow spaces that are connected to each other diagonally, visually, spatially and functionally over three storeys. The interior spaces come to life due to the design with natural daylight that enters the building directly or is filtered by the facade. The aim is to create the impression of being in a hollowed-out stone shell. In contrast, the prestige rooms as well as the assembly room have been panelled with a warm bamboo surface.

DETAIL Prize 2012: Online Reader Voting The main prize – the DETAIL Prize 2012 – will be picked by an internationally renowned jury, while the winner of the Reader Prize will be chosen by the readers themselves in an online voting procedure specially set up for this purpose. Choose your favourite project until September 20th! Further information on DETAIL Prize 2012