Plaza de Armas in Ferrol: subtly as a hallmark
Today we are bringing you a project in which we installed our concealed drainage system, which is winner in the City and Landscape category of the FAD Awards for Architecture.
It consists of the renovation of the Plaza de Armas in Ferrol, Galicia, under the supervision of the architect and professor at the University of A Coruña (UDC), Carlos Alberto Pita Abad.
Congratulations on the recognition!
The jury of the FAD Awards was appreciative of “the clear preference of this subtle and understated project for the domestic spirit of public space. By simply defining the square as a continuous, seamless plane that opens out to the city, the design eschews any limelight and clearly illustrates that, above all, a square is a meeting place that is hospitable, welcoming and pleasant by nature.”
This square is a clear illustration that less is more. And, in order to preserve the subtlety and harmony that the project required, the concealed drainage system was installed.
The value of subtlety
The new Plaza de Armas in Ferrol is aimed at achieving anonymity and a subtle presence within its powerful urban geometry. The square follows an open model, with no landscaping, hardly any street furniture, simply tree-lined and built using durable materials that can withstand the test of time.
Did you know that in the Galicia region it rains between 90 and 150 days per year on average? This is why the drainage system had to be effective, heavy-duty and durable.
If you also need an inconspicuous drainage system with a high hydraulic capacity for your project, contact us here.
But additionally, as remarked above, the square required a clean and polished look.
According to Carlos Alberto Pita, “We needed to have in-line drains to stop any stormwater runoffs,which are powerful. Although half of the square has draining capability - constructed with stabilised earth - and in the granite paving there are 4 drainage pits, we had to stop the water from going down Call Terra and Calle Rubalcaba with 4 lines of drains. Due to the topography of the square that directs the water towards a single point, we were unable to install drains in specific areas without altering that fully accessible single plane that we were seeking and which we built.”
Hence our dilemma:
How to achieve a system that has a high hydraulic capacity but is also unnoticeable?
The solution was to install MultiV+ technical channels at three different heights and with ULMA slot drainage.
This type of grating integrates exceptionally well with the paving, blending perfectly into the urban landscape. There is no visual impact. The drainage system is concealed and helps us to ensure that it does not affect the aesthetic design of the paving.
As a picture is worth a thousand words, we'd like you to judge the result for yourself:
Carlos Alberto Pita relied on the experience of our engineering department and technical service: “I was familiar with ULMA's drainage solutions, but I have never used them. Armas was the time to do so. ULMA's work was extremely satisfactory and the system was well suited to the project, as we altered its usual layout a little. Hopefully we will get the chance to work with their products again and work together”.
The pleasure was all ours Carlos!
