Hasta La Ideas

Spanish firm Hoz Fontan Arquitectos have completed a new Faculty of Business Studies at Mondragon University in Oñati, Spain.

The glazed building comprises classrooms, administrative offices, a hall and library.

The library and hall are raised up to afford views over the surrounding area, cantilevering out from the main building.

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Photographs are by José Hevia.

Here are some more details from the architects:

The university required a space in which to impart regulated and continuous education, lodge the administration’s office, a library and the assembly room.

The building meets all these requirements divided in four volumes.

The first three volumes are destined to hold the educational and administration sections, and are formed with specific characteristics for the development of its activities; it is in contact with the ground and organized in such way that can function autonomously.

Nevertheless, the fourth volume is the one that best represents the building’s identity.

The library, the assembly hall and the teaching staff’s offices are arranged in a lifted volume that allows having view-points on the trees that surround the building, capturing a general view of Oñati.

This lifting creates a great porch entry to the building and at the same time a generous hall, constituting both of them the building’s main relational areas. Areas that, seen as public squares and watchtowers from which admire the scenery, will allow the connection between students and surrounding environment, acting the university not only as knowledge media, but also as a mediation support between local culture, natural landscape and university life.

Click above for larger image

Credits:

Location: Ibarra, Oñati
Architecture: Hoz Fontan Arquitectos
Project directors: Angel de la Hoz, Cristina Fontán, Pablo de la Hoz
Executive project and construction management: LKS, Hoz Fontán Arquitectos
Collaborators: Marta Porroy

See also:

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