The extraordinary of the common

This project is a process based on a re-reading exercise of one of the ordinary industrial areas surrounding Madrid. Combining the preexisting reality with fiction, several proposals with different architectural scales are designed to demonstrate that an extraordinarily common industrial area could be transformed into a unique neighborhood.

Arriving at the industrial area of Alcorcon, a homogenous territory, deprived of remarkable architectural elements, dissociated from the human scale… A well distinguishable environment, a common area without any apparent interest. Starting the research without prejudging the outcome of the results. Making derives, observing exhaustively and uncovering how ordinary things can also be extraordinary and sophisticated, and that they may even become unique. The territory begins to appear as a heterogeneous area, with little architectural subtleties, like a delicate brick composition; linked to human scale by details such as a small plant on the windowsill of a concrete factory; with factory buildings dedicated to functions confined to rather human activities such as a worship space… Thus, pre-existing hidden elements begin to emerge, evoking other realities. After a careful observation it is discovered that the original depressing scenario is plenty of silent potentials just needing to be decoded and promoted. Three project tools are defined in order to design the proposals that will reinforce the character of the pre-existence. First, the grafting. Thrilling components of the architectures suggested by the pre-existing elements are grafted. Second, only constructive techniques and materials available within the industrial area are used. It is intended that interventions could be performed using techniques that do not exceed the field of the common. Thirdly, the programmatic definition. The common actions that a person does in an ordinary day, in an ordinary neighborhood, are the ones that defining the programs of the project. Such as looking through the living room window. A common action which turns into extraordinary when what you are seeing is the inner space of an industrial building of 5.760m2. Observing everything around us, immersing ourselves within the reality and fictionalizing it, looking beyond, creating and associating concepts, and proposing interventions that could transform an extraordinarily common industrial area into a unique neighborhood.