"On November 24, a bus picked us up at 9:00 a.m. at Avenida de América in Madrid. We joined another one that was waiting for us at the University's postgraduate program headquarters with more colleagues and the professors who had come from Pamplona.
Our first stop was at the Ensanche de Barajas. Once there we divided into two groups. The first group went in to see EMBT's Barajas social housing, starting with the installation rooms of the garage, both for hot water production and for the management and storage of hot water, from the pump room to the electrical installation. Juan Echevarría and Carlos Fernández Bandera, professors of Installations, explained everything we needed to know about a building like this, which, thanks to the fact that all the installations were on this basement floor, was very graphic and useful. To finish the round of facilities we went through each of the landings where the farm, telecommunications and heating panels were located, and those located in the courtyard which were the community panel, management of waste and electrical. Finally, we reached the roof where a solar panel system had been installed.
Still inside the residential complex, in addition to marveling at each of the details, we made a general reflection guided by Asier Santas, professor of Urbanism. He was explaining and making us understand the game of Miralles to capture the light, the wind and life outdoors. The building embraces a place in which, playing with the orientation and green spaces, a very pleasant and crowded living area is created, which in turn integrates the necessary facilities elements.
The second group, meanwhile, was touring the area, especially the nearby squares and the direct surroundings of the building. In this way, we were able to understand the shape of the building, the way it relates to the environment and the advantage that these great architects knew how to get out of it. Among other things, we highlight the way it opens up to the neighborhood, and connects the public life of the neighborhood with the private life that takes place in the interior place . This is achieved with a very wide entrance and open to the houses from the place, being the only building with this strategy.
At the end, we exchanged groups, and once we were all well acquainted with the residential complex and the area, we returned to the bus. The next stop was at the houses whose facades have recently been rehabilitated by STO.
It was a very interesting visit . We were accompanied by the architects and the quantity surveyor who had been in charge of the work. The houses were from the 60's and had damaged facades with practically no thermal insulation. The intervention consisted of, always from the outside, adding thermal insulation and SATE to the existing facade, resulting in an improved and cared for facade. In addition to this, we intervened in the doorways and stairs, taking them a little to the sidewalk to add elevator and make them accessible to all floors.
After a very interesting and different morning, we returned to the headquarters to have some theoretical sessions in the afternoon with Mayka García-Hípola and Carlos Fernández".
