[ Andres Jaque Arquitectos ] Casa Sacerdotal Diocesana de Plasencia

Spanish practice Andres Jaque Arquitectos shared with us this great renovation in Plasencia, transforming an old and abandoned seminary into a residence for former priests and students.

Check the diagrams and a great photo set after the break.

Catholic Church has defined historically territory superposing two occupation structures:

1. - Ideological structure, tree vertexed at the Vatican.
2. - Points of direct action, bishopric-nodes in an interconnected network.

This implantation pattern has ruled both social relationships and territory insertion of the individual members of the Church.

Clerical population in Europe has experienced a fast process of aging making it difficult the maintenance of an individualized attention model. Concentration of welfare services demand from the priests seglares a reconstruction of their relationship with territory [ 1 ] and their insertion in a community. [ 2 ] the project is the device that articulates this transformation by means of the activation of a set of:

[ 1 ] TRANSFERENCES: synthesis and approach of binding elements between the expanded landscape and the users [cuts of ecosystems: cork oaks meadow and pool, cherry trees valley, orchards of lemon trees; memory-object: benches, books, shades, clouds, lamps, chimneys; sensible contacts: lime stucco, stone pavement, shade, aromas] by the mediation of low technology devices.

[ 2 ] INVITATIONS To PARTICIPATION: elements that stimulate the answer on the part of the inhabitants and foment associations and shared uses. Opportunities construction.

Location / Height 349.50m, latitude 40º 1.45′ 4″, longitude 2º 24.18′ 72″ [in the walled enclosure, between the cathedral and the convent-palace-inn].

ANTECEDENTS/Old Seminario Menor: 15th and 19th century buildings, garden and well, occupying a complete block.

WORKS / rehabilitation 15th century building [ 1628m2 ], rehabilitation 19th century building [ 896m2 ], 21st century building [ 1169m2 ], parking [ 362m2 ], garden [ 794m2 ], roof garden [ 413m2 ]. Total 5262m2.

POPULATION/priests [ a part of them students at the old Seminario Menor ] until this moment at different parishes from the diocese of Plasencia [maximum distance displacement 210 km. ]. Relatives, companions, assistants, visitors.

COMPOSITION/21 individual flats, 6 double flats, 4 handicapped adapted common baths, 3 technical premises, 2 visit rooms, 2 medical attention rooms, 2 special attention rooms, 1 residence for nuns, 1 chapel, 1 oratory, 1 morgue, 1 parking, 1 dining room, 1 kitchen, 1 vestibule, 1 games room, 1 gymnasium, 1 library, 1 gurugú, laundry.


from  archdaily