Seville is one of the major cities in Spain which encloses several historical Islamic medieval buildings. In 1023 the king Abud-Qasim Muhammad ordered the reconstruction of the city wall to stop the advance of the Christian troops. These walls are around 6km long and have approximately 150 towers. Built next to one of the surviving segments of the medieval wall and the guard tower, the project provides hammam(spa) and gym for the local historical area, which lacks the facilities.
The material selection is inspired by the Alcazar of Seville (200m distance from the site) and the historical fortifications on the site: both were constructed by the use of compressed earth layers, resulting in a stable, biodegradable, sustainable structure that lasts for hundreds of years. The thermal mass of the rammed walls allows transferring the heat, generated in the core hammam(spa) rooms, across the building. It also regulates the internal humidity levels of the pools and the changing rooms. Meanwhile, the earth could be mixed with various iron oxides to pigment the layers.
The bamboo roof and rammed earth walls both accommodate plants, providing the sustainable and eco-friendly environment and creating a biophilic experience for the users.
This results in a calming aesthetic effect, needed for a SPA facility. The bio-effect is completed by the water-harvesting and natural ventilation systems, used in the bamboo roof structure: it allows to keep the plants healthy, reduce the usage and recycle the water.
