E18 Portrait - LA MATERIA

Oviedo (ES) - Special mention

LA MATERIA

Associates: Justo Diaz (ES), Guillermo Pozo Arribas (ES) – architects

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"The proposal, beyond rehabilitating, seeks to rehabit. To this end, LA MATERIA is based on three fundamental principles: recognizing the historical, cultural, and material value of the existing building; precisely understanding its spatial and constructive potential and adapting it to meet contemporary housing needs. The project is conceived as a meeting place within the city, both for residents and for external users, with a strong commitment to sustainable mobility. To achieve this, it proposes the reuse and intensification of existing urban infrastructures and available spaces in the area—such as public parking facilities, sports zones, and recreational areas—establishing a closer relationship between the city of Oviedo and its natural surroundings. Furthermore, as an alternative to the logic of demolition, the project proposes an intervention based on the regeneration of what already exists, including selective deconstruction, the reuse of materials, and the integration of building systems with low embodied energy, understanding the building as a materials bank."