CUATRO PICoS SPAIN . ALICANTE

A new congress center for the city of Alicante

Harbour of Alicante, Spain

Competition Third price April 2024

Client City of Alicante

When we observe the privileged and unique location of the project, in the docks n°7 and n°9 in the harbor of the Mediterranean city of Alicante, we can observe the mountains, as well as four important landmarks that surround the city. Santa Bárbara’s Castle, the Serra Grossa Mountain, the cliffs of Santa Pola and the island of Tabarca give the name to the project “CUATRO PICOS” (Four Peaks).

It is a reference to them as well as to the four volumes that shape the new Congress Center.
These volumes correspond to the three auditoriums (2000 capacity, 500- capacity and 300 capacity) and the offices for 150 people. In total, the project is 22.500 m2 and hosts an exhibition area, multifunctional spaces, press rooms and other services.
The project aims to be a space where the functionality and leisure can coexist.

Even when no conferences are taking place, the generous public space, the bars and the restaurants allow the citizens to enjoy the location with the landmarks in the background while keeping a relation to the water.
The sides of the volumes are kept closed not only to emphasize the iconic shape but also to reduce southern radiation and get as a result considerable energy savings. On the other side, the big openings are oriented towards the main landmarks of the location.
Due to the scale of the cruise ships that dock on the opposite side, the project must establish a balanced relation with them. On this premise, the 22m high buildings and the big cantilevers occur to be the strategy to deal with this peculiar aspect of the plot.
The hanging ceramic facade is made from big format 120x120cm tiles, and it allows to establish a dialogue with the color of the surroundings as well as being a material very present all around the region.
The geothermal energy using the water of the harbor as a cooling system and the solar panels happen to be the most sustainable and present sources to provide energy to the building.