The Espai Verd dwellings in Valencia, Spain, designed in 1991 by CSPT Arquitectos in collaboration with Antonio Cortés Arquitecto, stand as a remarkable residential building. This innovative structure is not merely a physical edifice but a true testament to the visionary philosophy of its creators. It embodies a commitment to self-sustainability, strikes a balance with nature, and fosters a cooperative living environment. Meticulously crafted with a keen eye on ecological harmony, Espai Verd is a manifestation of modern design thinking, where form beautifully marries function.
Espai Verd Dwellings Technical Information
- Architects: Antonio Cortés Ferrando + CSPT Arquitectos
- Location: Calle Músico Hipólito Martinez 16, Valencia, Spain
- Client: Espai Verd Coop.
- Project Year: 1991-1994
- Photographs: © Xiao Yang, © Paula G. Furio, © Angela Castillo Ferrero
The design and execution of Espai Verd stand as a bold statement of Antonio Cortés’ belief in a distinct and purposeful way of living. It’s a living manifesto that continues to resonate with a global community, extending the boundaries of architecture into new realms of meaning and experience.
Espai Verd Dwellings Photographs
Espai Verd: A Symbol of Architectural Ideals
When Le Corbusier envisioned Villa Savoye, he crafted an architecture manifesto set against the Parisian countryside. Espai Verd is a similar manifestation of architectural principles. Positioned on the outskirts of Valencia, between the urban fabric of the Benimaclet neighborhood and the northern farmland of Valencia, the building functions as a beacon of collective architecture.
The building’s design is marked by its prefabricated concrete structure arranged in a 6×6 grid. Influenced by Antonio Cortés’ direct contact with the GODB studio during his formation, Espai Verd emerged as an embodiment of modulated and prefabricated concrete architecture.
The edifice’s presence in its environment is strikingly self-contained. It rises without paying much heed to its surroundings, and it provides everything its residents might need. The complex serves as an early example of collective architecture, aligning itself with its promoters’ cooperative ideals.
The cooperative, led by Alicante-born architect Antonio Cortés, envisioned housing units interconnected with nature. The spaces foster relationships among neighbors and create a microclimate within the building. One significant outcome was the structure itself, accounting for the weight of the soil needed for gardens and large trees.
The model drew inspiration from Habitat 67 in Montreal, developed for the Universal Exposition that year.
A Dream Realized: Utopian Technological and Ecological Model
Espai Verd consists of 108 dwellings, including apartments, duplexes, triplexes, and quadruplexes, creating 21,000 square meters of vertical construction. It was built in four phases, with the first two completed in 1992, and the third and fourth in 1994.
Antonio Cortés brilliantly combined his passions for architecture and computer science, pioneering in sustainability, ecology, and technology. The complex reflects brutalist architectural influences yet distinguishes itself with three defining components: humanism, technology, and ecology.
The building houses unique features like an enormous fountain that creates a humid climate, a pond with red fish, and a four-story-high mountain created from excavation earth. These features make Espai Verd a unique construction in the world.
Espai Verd fosters warm relationships among its residents, where public spaces are as crucial as private ones. The horizontal connections, gardens, and labyrinthine streets within the building are integral components that facilitate interaction.
Cortés’ spiritual and religious nature is reflected in the design, with spaces dedicated to mathematical, experiential, and sacred dimensions. The interreligious oratory within Espai Verd stands as a symbol of universal spiritual unity.
Cortés foresaw the future of remote work, equipping the apartments with broadband networks during a time when the internet was nearly unknown. He also pioneered an efficient waste collection system within the building.
The design and execution of Espai Verd stand as a bold statement of Antonio Cortés’ belief in a distinct and purposeful way of living. It’s a living manifesto that continues to resonate with a global community, extending the boundaries of architecture into new realms of meaning and experience.
Espai Verd Dwellings Plans
Espai Verd Dwellings Image Gallery
About Antonio Cortés Ferrando
Antonio Cortés Ferrando, a Spanish architect born in Callosa d’en Sarrià, Alicante, graduated in 1974 from the Polytechnic University of Valencia, immersing himself in the aesthetic of brutalist architecture. He was part of the CSPT Estudio de Arquitectura y Urbanismo, working with Salvador Pérez Luján, Alfonso Serrano Puig, and Antonio Carrascosa Corella, contributing to the design of the Espai Verd building, a project reflecting influences from iconic works like Walden-7 by Ricardo Bofill and Habitat 67 by Moshe Safdie. Alongside his architectural work, Cortés is a passionate advocate for robotics and computer science, becoming a recognized expert in artificial intelligence in Spain during the 1980s, and also developed an interest in three-dimensional structures, creating the Programa de Cálculo Experto, allowing for the development of such structures in Espai Verd. His multifaceted interests and innovative contributions make him a distinctive figure in Spanish architecture, intertwining technology, design, and forward-thinking concepts.
