WAR REMAININGS: REDISIGNING A PLAZA & RESTORING A REFUGE IN QUART DE POBLET

Project at: HIDALGO MORA ARQUITECTURA

The Plaza de la Creu was the epicenter of village life during medieval times and remained the main square of the town until the 16th century. Therefore, one of the main objectives of the project, in addition to the restoration and enhancement of the air-raid shelter, is the creation of a high-quality public space that recovers its historical significance and be-
comes a symbol of democratic memory.

The restoration and enhancement of the shelter are carried out with the utmost respect for its original configuration, typology, and materiality. It is made accessible to the public through a new entrance that also allows the introduction of museum resources that can generate a small interpretation center. To enhance its existence and perception from the urban space, the proposal suggests “moving” the shelter’s floor plan to the square, subtly drawing it on the pavement. In addition, the original access is highlighted and valued by formalizing it with a volumetry typical of this type of entrance.

Thus, the elements placed on this public space are intimately linked to the place’s memory, the shelter as a symbol of the history of resistance and citizen mobilization againstthe history of resistance and citizen mobilization against antidemocratic aggression. The flower beds that house vegetation evoke the impacts of projectiles launched by fascist aviation, which, leaving the shelter’s floor plan intact on the surface, never manage to reach these galleries built by the men and women of Quart. In this way, where these bombs sought death and destruction, life and hope now emerge as a symbol of resistance and freedom.

In short, a renewed urban space is created, with a strong cultural and historical burden that connects with a hidden heritage asset from the public eye. It is a public space for relationship and coexistence, pleasant and enjoyable, integrative and fully accessible, based on criteria transferable to other spaces in the city, especially its historic center.