Alcalá de Henares Parador
Spain CCC ES
Aranguren + Gallegos Arquitectos
2008
Type
Hotel
Tags
renovations, Japanese influence, spaces for tourism, heritage sites interventions, leisure time, Spain ccc
Visitability
Allowed
Description
This project aims to restore the old convent of Saint Thomas Aquinas for a new purpose. In addition to the restoration of the existing 16th century cloister, the design includes a new cloister and a longitudinal building that connects to the former convent orchard. At the rear of the building is the so-called ‘carved garden’, a labyrinth of hollowed-out courtyards with a garden on top for the use of the Parador’s guests. The project succeeds in bringing a historic building into the present using contemporary means. The spatial importance of courtyards and cloisters in the history of Alcalá de Henares is evoked through a world of courtyards of different sizes, where vegetation is the main feature, inviting meditation and rest.