Spanish National Institute of Technology

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The largest  building we have built up to now,  the headquarters of the National Institute of Communication Technologies (INTECO), in León, Spain. The project is the result of an architectural competition we won in 2006. The competition was promoted by the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Commerce, aiming to “create a platform for the development of innovative projects in the sphere of Knowledge Society”.

The location of the building, situated in a developing area of León, prompted us to the creation of a compact architectural and structural scheme, able to allow the integration of a complex program with variable needs in a clear and readable project. On the other hand, we were concerned with having corporate image become  the very essence of the building, effectively interpreting its high-tech “nature” with architectural elements:

-The ground floor extends at the perimeter of the site (80×80 m), constituting a solid base that is effectively pierced to form the main entrance and the internal patios, allowing natural light and cross ventilation to come through. The façade of the ground floor volume is wrapped with white pre-fabricated concrete panels. Clear roots for the institution.

-The “copper-box” is an abstract volume that seems to float over the main building. The copper veil acts as a dimmer for undesirable solar gain, while contributing to the lightness of the tower, as manifested in the entrance to the complex. Technology and lightness in the air.

The use of industrialized materials, as undulated- steel- sheet and prefabricated concrete panels, contributes to the austere character of the building, whereas its richness lies in the interior spaces bathed by natural light. The headquarters of the National Institute of Communication Technologies effectively stands out for its volumetric abstraction and a delicate definition  of its scale.

Project:                             Spanish National Institute of Technologies

Site:                                  Avenida José Aguado, 7, León

Year:                                    2006

Constructor:                   Dragados S.A.

Surface:                          11.482 m2

Budget :                        16.500.000 €

Architects:                    Yosko Navarro, withPedro Ayesta, Iago López y Laia Vives

Quality Control:         Francisco Palmero

Structure:                      BOMA SL

Instal.:                         Victor Barnés

Telecom.:                   VCN Ingenieria

Facade consultant:   Ferrés arquitectos

Junior Architects:  Leyre Vitoria, Eleftherios Theodosis