1. Northwest and Pacific Region AIA
Student Design Awards Submission
Section II: Project Narrative
ARCH 480 Studio -- 9 Week Term
Individual Student Project
Re-Envisioning Visitor Center
Along the Onyar River, Girona Spain
Setting: The city of Girona is populated with over
100,000 people and is located in Spain’s northeastern
Catalonia region, along the River Onyar.
The Old Quarter dates back several thousand years
and was built up over time, organically following the
river’s edge with long, narrow, curving city blocks.
The east and west bank of the Onyar share a dialog
with a colorful and irregular push and pull of building
facades, which has become Girona Spain’s unique
iconic image.
Problem: The Visitors’ Center along the River Onyar
is the uneventful termination point on the east bank
GIRONA SPAIN
city block that does little to activate the connection
between the east and west portions of the city.
Additionally, access to the river from the plaza is
uninviting, creating a subtle barrier and causing a
disconnect between the people and the waterway.
Proposal: Create a new architectural space that both
celebrates the event of the river and adds a exciting
punctuation point to the head of the long, narrow,
snaking block, worthy of international notice.
This space should sparkle and call people to it, stitich-
ing the two halves of the city together with its place
making, and reactivate people with the river.

2. CULTURE AND TRADITION
Girona Spain Red and Golden
Rich Traditions and Culture
Parade of the Three Kings: The Kings
travel from the Orient to the city, setting
up their tents and receiving all the
children who come to meet them. Then
their Majesties ride through the streets
of the city.
Mardi Gras: Carnival time, masked balls
are held from Saturday to Tuesday as
groups of revelers party in the streets.
El Fòrum Gastronòmic: A food Fair
The first congress of gastronomy,
synonymous with discretion, thorough-
ness, credibility, image, and prestige.
Gastronomy Week: A week-long
promotion of local cuisine offering
special menus of new culinary trends,
putting Girona cuisine in the public
spotlight.
Holy Week: Good Friday’s procession
of the Burial of Christ, features Ancient
Roman soldiers (manaies).
The Spring Festival: Held on the Rambla
on the week before St George’s Day,
with a wide range of activities including
the hoisting of the Tarlà, the legendary
symbol of the city of Girona.
St George’s Day: Book stalls and flower
sellers fill the streets of Girona, celebrat-
ing Catalan culture and the tradition of
giving a rose to a sweetheart.
Girona Flower Time: For ten days the
City’s historical buildings courtyards
and gardens are adorned with flowers.
St Narcissus’ Fair and Festival: The
annual festival includes a trade fair,
a carnival, musical performances, street
fairs parades and a festival (correfoc).
Christmas: Christmas lights and activities
for the community.

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BLOCK TYPOLOGIES
Plaza de la Independencia
homogenous
consistent facades
symmetrical forms
large blocking masses
large open spaces
less intimate
more public
River Onyar
flanked by long, narrow, snaking city blocks
varying shapes, sizes, colors
push and pull of overlapping geometries
that have a dialog back and forth across
the river
Carrer Rambla
elongated plaza
social energy: shopping & cafe dining
dressed with trees, lamps, & umbrellas
at human scale
Narrow Streets
narrow, fissure-like streets
clusters of building masses
tiny random courtyards
intimate, private, shared spaces

4. Rooftop Detail East Side Figure Ground East Side
Horizontal Rooftops Detail Horizontal Street Detail
Long Vertical Rooftops Detail Long Vertical Street Detail
OLD QUARTER RIVER PATTERNING

5. SITE SPECIFIC DESIGN
angle
interracts
with river
plaza
interracts
with river path
down
to river
indoor
private
Indoor
public
community
outdoor
public
community
utility and
circulation
utility and
circulation
outdoor public zones
public
outdoor
river interactive
community
interactive
community
interactive
artist
gallery
spaces
public
outdoor
river interactive
public
entrance
cool zones
beneath
the gallery
subterraine
sunny streets
cooled by
shade trees
and umbrellas
hot zone on bridge
river’s edge
cooled by
umbrellas
& shaded by
bridge
cool zone in river
hot zone
southern
sun
hot zones on
building
faces
hot zones on
building
faces
organically
shaped
elongated
street edge
texture and
language of
neighboring
buildings
social gathering
shopping & dining
along the ramblas
canope of trees
keep the scale
at a human level
umbrellas,
arcades and
trees keep
the street
ramblas cool
iconic view of river from the bridge
Design Goals:
Interacts with the river by positioning
the south section of the building in the
river--as if the Gallery were touching
its toe into the water--allowing the
river to flow in, around, and through its
base.
Provides accessibility to the river’s
fluctuating high and low tidal points.
Engages in a dialog between the east
and the west bank buildings.
Provides physical and visual access to
the River Onyar from the Rambla with
an open arcade on the main level,
ramping that leads down to the river,
and stepping stones at the foundation
level to activate the river’s edge.
Provides place-making at Girona’s
heart and stitches together the east-
ern and western portions of the city
with indoor and outdoor public
interactive space.
Responds to the natural setting using a
stone facade on the sunny south face
to act as a heat sink, and provides
a cool retreat from Girona’s heat in
the arcade and the grotto below the
structure.
Provides a sparkle that deserves the
position at the head of the block, with
tiny windows--like little sunlit portals--
carved into the south stone facade
mirroring the mapping of Old World’s
courtyards scattered in random clus-
ters throughout the city. These tiny
windows allow slivers of sunlight to
permeate the wall and reflect off the
river below into the grotto, creating
sparkle and providing the locals with
a sense of long-term familiarity with a
new structure.

6. PROGRAMATIC CONSIDERATIONS
Subterrainian
Outdoor Public AccessS
lower level
gallery
Enclosed Space
lower level plaza
seating & promenade
along river
Main Floor
office
main level plaza
seating & promenade
stairs and ramp
utilities
second floor
gallery and
visiting artist
exhibitions
classrooms
Second Floor Third Floor
stairs elevator
second floor
rooftop courtyard
garden
third floor
artist studios
third floor
rooftop courtyard
garden
fourth floor
rooftop courtyard
garden
Fourth Floor
stairs elevator
artist residence
systems 21%
lobby 2%
circulation 7%
mach 3%
storage 5%
office 4%
main level
entrance
gallery
biological
restrooms 5%
kitchen 3%
community
education 10%
Interactive
event space 22%
event space
event space
event space
mach 3%
storage 5%
lobby
restroomsrestroomsrestroomsrestrooms
kitchenkitchen
community
gallery 20%
lower level plaza
seating & promenade
along river
main level plaza
second floor
rooftop courtyard
garden
fourth floor
rooftop courtyard
garden
third floor
rooftop courtyard
garden
three visiting artists
working studios 5%
residence 10%
lower level
gallery
stairs and elevator
event space
mach 3%
storage 5%
restrooms
kitchen
lower level plaza
seating & promenade
along river
stairs and elevator
open
courtyard
lobby
office
main level
entrance
gallery
event space
restrooms
classrooms
main level plaza
leading down to river
stairs and elevator
stairs and elevator
open
courtyard
lobby
restrooms
second floor
gallery and
visiting artist
exhibitions
event space
utilities
stairs and elevator
stairs and elevator
second floor
rooftop courtyard
garden
open
courtyard
lobby
restrooms
third floor
artist studios
kitchen
stairs and elevator
stairs and elevator
third floor
rooftop courtyard
garden
open
courtyard
lobby
stairs and elevator
fourth floor
rooftop courtyard
garden
open
courtyard
lobby
Subterrainian Main Floor Second Floor Third Floor Fourth Floor
stairs and ramp
stairs elevator
artist residence
stairs and elevator
lower level
gallery
stairs and elevator
event space
mach 3%
storage 5%
restrooms
kitchen
lower level plaza
seating & promenade
along river
stairs and elevator
open
courtyard
lobby
office
main level
entrance
gallery
event space
restrooms
classrooms
main level plaza
leading down to river
stairs and elevator
stairs and elevator
open
courtyard
lobby
restrooms
second floor
gallery and
visiting artist
exhibitions
event space
utilities
stairs and elevator
stairs and elevator
second floor
rooftop courtyard
garden
open
courtyard
lobby
restrooms
third floor
artist studios
kitchen
stairs and elevator
stairs and elevator
third floor
rooftop courtyard
garden
open
courtyard
lobby
stairs and elevator
fourth floor
rooftop courtyard
garden
open
courtyard
lobby
Subterrainian Main Floor
Second Floor
Third Floor
Fourth Floor
stairs and elevator
artist residence
lower level
gallery
stairs and elevator
event space
mach 3%
storage 5%
restrooms
kitchen
lower level plaza
seating & promenade
along river
stairs and elevator
open
courtyard
lobby
office
main level
entrance
gallery
event space
restrooms
classrooms
main level plaza
leading down to river
stairs and elevator
stairs and elevator
open
courtyard
lobby
restrooms
second floor
gallery and
visiting artist
exhibitions
event space
utilities
stairs and elevator
stairs and elevator
second floor
rooftop courtyard
garden
open
courtyard
lobby
restrooms
third floor
artist studios
kitchen
stairs and elevator
stairs and elevator
third floor
rooftop courtyard
garden
open
courtyard
lobby
stairs and elevator
fourth floor
rooftop courtyard
garden
open
courtyard
lobby
Subterrainian Main Floor
Second Floor
Third Floor
Fourth Floor
stairs and elevator
artist residence
lower level
gallery
stairs and elevator
event space
mach 3%
storage 5%
restrooms
kitchen
lower level plaza
seating & promenade
along river
stairs and elevator
open
courtyard
lobby
office
main level
entrance
gallery
event space
restrooms
classrooms
main level plaza
leading down to river
stairs and elevator
stairs and elevator
open
courtyard
lobby
restrooms
second floor
gallery and
visiting artist
exhibitions
event space
utilities
stairs and elevator
stairs and elevator
second floor
rooftop courtyard
garden
open
courtyard
lobby
restrooms
third floor
artist studios
kitchen
stairs and elevator
stairs and elevator
third floor
rooftop courtyard
garden
open
courtyard
lobby
stairs and elevator
fourth floor
rooftop courtyard
garden
open
courtyard
lobby
Subterrainian Main Floor
Second Floor
Third Floor
Fourth Floor
stairs and elevator
artist residence
Evaluation of space needs:
• Visitors’ Center on the main floor of the south section.
• Art Center and Classrooms on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the
south section.
• Art Gallery on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the north section.
• Artist Residency at the top floor of the north section with rooftop
gardens and shared living spaces.
• Indoor and outdoor public spaces.

7. UP
RIVER
FLOW
STONE
PATH
STONE
FOUNDATION
UP
SUBLEVEL 1SUBLEVEL 2
UP
DN
LEVEL 1
LEVEL 4
DN
LEVEL 3
DN
LEVEL 2
OUTDOOR
GALLERY
SUBTERRAINIAN
GROTTO
OPEN AIR PLAZA
GALLERY
GALLERY
ART CENTER
CLASSROOM
ART CENTER
CLASSROOM
LOBBY
EYRIE
LOBBY
EYRIE
LOBBY
EYRIE
LOBBY
EYRIE
GALLERY
GALLERY
ARTIST
RESIDENCE
ARTIST
RESIDENCE
GARDEN
PATIO
GARDEN
PATIO
SHARED
KITCHEN
ARTIST
RESIDENCE
GALLERY GALLERY
BRIDGE
TO RAMBLA
VISITOR
CENTER
RIVER GALLERY

8. 




RIVER GALLERY
Engaging activity along the River’s edge
• Public arcade subterranean grotto space
• Artist Gallery space
• Private artist residence space
• Art center and interactive classroom space
RIVER GALLERY
ELEVATIONS
1/16" = 1'-0"
SOUTH ELEVATION
WEST ELEVATION
NORTH ELEVATION
1/16" = 1'-0"EAST ELEVATION

9. VIEW FROM THE RAMBLAS

10. River Gallery Girona Spain
From the stone bridge connecting the eastern
and western portions of the city is a view of the
River Gallery. It stands comfortably among the
surrounding Old Quarter structures. Its bold
angles push and pull playfully with its eclectic
neighbors.
The river seems to flow through the structure,
offering hints of light reflecting off the River
Onyar and dancing across the surrounding
walls. Tiny portals have been cut into the stone
wall, letting in slivers of light that sparkle on the
water in the cool shade beneath. An Intriguing
space that draws visitors in.
A glass curtain wall slices through the center
of the Gallery, offering a hint of activity with-
in--a community event happening—triggering
curiosity--compelling connection.
The approach to the Gallery from the Rambla
presents bold angles, but close up, the view
reveals a curving foundation peeking from the
subterranean level—the more hidden spac-
es where water flows, calling people to cross
over into the fissure leading to the Gallery and
to the quiet cool enchanted spaces within
and below the River Gallery.