VKPK On Site: Paraphernalia, Parasitic, Parasol. By: Pedro Livni+Felipe Encinas+Gonzalo Carrasco Purull.

On April 14 our friend Felipe Encinas Pino-Architect PUC, MSc University of Nottingham, UK – at the request of VKPK visited the site and shared his insights that have transcribed below:

«The project includes a museum, shops (accessible at ground level) and a walk lookout on the structure, which – at the time of the visit – were not yet available. Therefore, all comments here discharges are referred to the public dimension of the project – all roam freely – and ultimately also perhaps most interesting for an analysis of the work. 

The work has a very interesting approach in the approach from the surrounding streets. Laraña coming from the street (the main street that connects the Plaza de la Encarnación), the structures appear between buildings on a scale that does not seem excessive. In place, the structure certainly looks pretty good (although the details are not very neat, as you will see in the photos) and from some angles is very photogenic (the constructive resolution of the curves is well achieved). However, the user experience – when one is there and starts to go – starting to become evident some problems in connection with the environment.

Perhaps my biggest objection goes through the inclusion of the platform is at +1 level of the work (which is accessed by stairs and ramps including some mechanical). On the one hand, this platform is visually very heavy and ends engulfed the surrounding buildings (see eg, photo DSC_0659.) Not that these have a particular heritage significance … the issue is no longer reads it as empty square.

The other issue is that the platform itself, nothing happens! It is a giant concrete slab dotted with a few seats, trash cans, beverage machines, small grass air amoeboid and a play area for tiny children. Although from here you can see in detail the structure, nudity at ground level appears to be too contrasting (as opposed to the formal richness that is when one looks up.) 

At the time of the visit, had a lot of people traveling this platform … however, the project is still new to the city and is also a peak time of year for tourism. Will have to see what happens when the project is no longer so fashionable (if there will be many people up there) … maybe implement some things still missing (although failing which the surrounding environment disappears even more.) To be seen …

The last 2 photos (DSC_1010 and DSC_1012) shows the work in a bird’s eye view taken from the Giralda. Funny how the same picture may appear the 2 most representative works of more contemporary architecture of the city (or perhaps one might say, non-historical), the Alamillo Bridge of Calatrava and the Metropol Parasol.Both are also iconic for 2 decades (with all that that implies), 90 and 2000, respectively. Also you can see the superior ride proposed for the Metropol Parasol, designed to be a viewpoint of the city. “

Post-Data 

Looking at the last two photos commented by Felipe Encinas, we see in the distance, as he relates, the Alamillo Bridge by Santiago Calatrava. A bridge that connected with Sevilla Cartuja island, place where will the event that opened the international architectural agenda in the early 90’s: Sevilla Expo 92.  Sevilla event for which considerable resources invested in infrastructure, which once the fair, entertainment and festivities was stranded on the island of oblivion, a place where nothing happens, invaded by a weed that keeps growing and move forward. In the foreground of the photo can be seen the curious shapes of “the setae of the Incarnation” – as they are popularly called structures Metropol Parasol – on the consolidated profile of Seville. Just as Philip warns, it is still unknown what will happen to the Metropol – Parasol the novelty involved.

On the other hand – and as also warned Felipe – details in the official photos are of an immaculate precision, one can notice a lot more crude and rudimentary. And the floor for the vacuum that configures the square warns over-designed and saturated objects.

It is interesting to note the official propaganda work Sevilla star – (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6w1RfFfZLn0&feature=related  )
An ad that begins with «Big dreams. Require great efforts”, where it occurs Metropol Parasol construction through the use of accelerated image resource. Narrative effect where construction appears as a natural and efficient way, inevitable. At the same time struck by the image of the seemingly pristine forests and natural («Finland?) Which is shown later cut to obtain the wood needed to manufacture the components.

An advertisement in which the object to show virtually no figure, but who cares to warn all that this simple device material «international avant-garde design» will give to the city. A vanguard that carries the quality seal MOMA, place of shelter and display models of the project.

Sevilla will be put through this «cultural and magical space that becomes what you want» to live up to the big cities like Paris and New York. Be re-placed in the center of the international tourist scene, occupying pride of place in 92.

A space that «adds value to its largest archaeological site in the city and the first market hall in the city», or rather hides the largest archaeological site in the city and the first market hall in the city under a dramatic spectacle forms, more sophisticated than the glue that meets the union of rolled sheet, the Hood can not stick and dialogue with the context. Of course we are not calling for an architecture-morphological context, certainly in the aerial photographs shared by Felipe, mushrooms are suggestive in contrast to the old red-tiled roofs that predominate in the urban mass of Seville. The issue is that it is an object that is viewed from above, but preferably viewed from ground level, the level design has more gaps.

Before concluding comments on advertising, striking the sentence that concludes with the Metropol Parasol futurology. In the warning that «will attract the eyes of world tourism.» Perhaps it proclaims what note is that mushrooms on the Plaza de la Encarnacion is one of the last building of the gross epidemic from spreading uncontrollably over the past decades in Spain and the rest of the globe, known as the Bilbao syndrome. A building that was born old, the last of its kind, the bones of the last trace of Bilbao. VKPK