Esponja

Set in an area with no particular identifying features, the Leganes Sports Resource Centre (Madrid) represents a great “urban sponge”, absorbing the energy of its surroundings, giving its iconic presence a perforated volume. The dynamic and optimistic dimension associated with sport acts as the starting point for the conceptual development of the building, an urban beacon which looks out over the world and society but which is also observed by society. The dual dimension of the site – an urban location combined with the naturalness of a sports centre – leads to the development of a project with a “double personality”. On the one hand it is a building that stands at a large crossroads of “avenidas”, emanating a unique and strong presence; on the other, it must be a “green” building, blending in with the open wooded spaces of the swimming pools and the “Parque de Europa”. These two “sides” of the building’s character are combined perfectly thanks to a façade made up of large splay windows, all the same yet different, whose depth and size change depending on when and how you look at them. During the day, the walls change in synch with the light and the seasons of the year. At night a bright light (which can be either white or coloured depending on the sports events scheduled at the centre) conveys its availability and fun, two characteristics which embody the basic values of sport.

project team: Alessandro Tessari, Matteo Bandiera, Nicola Di Pietro, German Pro Lozano, Mauro Tonello
project: Sport centre. Leganés, Spain
status: International competition
date: 03.2008
client: City council of Leganés. Madrid.