The neighborhood where the project is located is characterized by a high percentage of immigration from many different countries and the construction of new luxury developments.
The Chamartín train station has been abandoned for decades, acting as a scar in the urban fabric. The municipality is trying to close that scar by granting public spaces to multinational companies that have nothing to do with the people who already live there or their interests.
The aim of this project is to create a public space that is flexible and capable of celebrating diversity, establishing connections between cultures and preserving their unique and distinguishing characteristics. It is a response to the capitalist homogenization that the neighborhood will face.
Each floor is duplicated, as there are two layers: the upper technical floor allows for the use of the habitable floor below.
The project became a speculation on the possibilities that hyper-technological buildings could offer for creating flexible spaces. A system of platforms and rails would allow for furniture to be rearranged at record speed.
“Large” could be the answer to public construction programs only when the solutions are flexible (and fast) enough to adapt to the changing needs of the community.
