Crafts, Innovation, Industry, Light and Valencian Talent: Axes of the Architectural Project
Àgora Valencia’s purpose is reflected in the materials and the manufacturing of the space, in the artisanal processes of its building and in its delicate approach to sustainability.
“From the beginning we devised the project as a gift for the present and the future of Valencia, putting people at the heart“, explains Miguel Arraiz. “In this unique opportunity to bring design and its transversality to the citizenry, companies and institutions, we have set out to investigate the materials and the artisan tradition of our land. In addition to extolling the Valencian roots, which describe a unique way of doing things, the materials and the construction systems that allow the modular and removable format of the pavilion are a commitment to circularity and durability.”
With an area of 350 square metres, this modular pavilion will tell the story of the renowned design born on the shores of the Mediterranean, of materials born from ceramic innovation and traditions such as the vareta technique by the carpenter and artist Manolo García. The construction of the pavilion has the participation of companies such as Inalco, Wandegar and Iguzzini and studios and professionals such as Manolo García Carpintería Artística, Radiante Creative Studio, ATG Desarrollos, Josep Martí and Quatre Caps.
Àgora València consists of a structure of 24m x 10m and 9m in height. The building will be covered with a skin developed by the companies Inalco and Wandegar from ceramic pieces placed perpendicularly on the façade to sift the light over the hours. In fact, the light has been treated as an actual building material, and other elements such as the upper cover, of great aesthetic power, will also contribute to this. The great piece of vareta that will cover the pavilion will be made by Manolo García, master of carpentry and fallero artist who will return to this square where he has developed and displayed his creations so many times. This element will simulate the waves of the Mediterranean Sea in reference to the city as a point of historical union between different cultures.
“Inalco will be present in the façade and in the ceiling, designed with MDi from the Silk Blanco collection. MDi (Minerals, Design, innovation) is an innovative surface, developed with the purest minerals, which allows body and surface to present a whole aesthetic continuity,” says Vicente López, general manager Inalco, an official partner of the pavillion. MDi is a sustainable product as it is formulated with 50% recycled material from its own production process. Also, its full digital technology, unique in its sector worldwide, allows to save 70% of the used water and it avoids the use of solvents.
On his end, Javier Cano, manager of the engineering company in innovative technical applications for architectural enclosures and ceramic ceilings Wandegar, says that “we are very excited about our participation in the Àgora València project, it is a challenge for which we have devised an architectural solution that will stand out for its simplicity and lightness without damaging the safety nor the modular and flexible character of the structure.”
At sunset, an artistic and immersive lighting installation created by the creative studio Radiante will turn the pavilion into a great lighthouse as a symbol of the pride of the entire city of Valencia as World Design Capital.
