Headquarters for the spanish Red Cross in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Madrid

CR4
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site plan | longitudinal section
bioclimatic strategies
axonometric views

Headquarters for the spanish Red Cross in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Madrid

The site is located in a strategic place with excellent views and a strong slope, with over six meter level difference towards the south. The project’s strategic decisions have been determined by these singular conditions, urban location, topography, sunlight and views. The project program is distributed in three levels that adapt to the topography of the place.
The building, solid and compact, adapts itself to the prominent slope of the site and its image and construction are sensible to the character of San Lorenzo de El Escorial. It is organized in three levels that gradually descend to the south. Each floor contains different functional spaces and thus, different occupation times and formats are possible. The use of local materials and its almost domestic scale provide the new headquarters with a distinctive character and identity.
The elemental structural geometry of the project informs the also elemental bearing structure. Small spans of 5,70 m are arranged on a 2,85 x 2,85 m grid. Only the roof top on the access level has greater spans to create larger spaces for public use.

Location San Lorezo de El Escorial, Madrid
Client Cruz Roja, Madrid
Architects Francisco Burgos, Ginés Garrido
Design team Agustín Martín, Jonás Prieto, María Pilar Recio, Diego Martínez, Sandra Varela, Leire Cascante, Pablo Delgado, Patricia Martínez, Pablo Maldonado
Renders Diego Martínez
Date 2017