Carlos Arroyo Architects

Instituto Cervantes Bruselas

Instituto Cervantes Bruselas
© Miguel de Guzmán

INSTITUTO CERVANTES BRUSELAS

Carlos Arroyo Architects

LOCATION
Brussels, Belgium

YEAR
2016

BUDGET
$100K - 500K

CLIENT
Instituto Cervantes

SIZE
0 sqft - 1000 sqft

PHOTOS
Miguel de Guzmán (24)

PROJECT LEADER
Vanessa Cerezo

STATUS
Built

VIDEO AND GRAPHICS
Carlos Arroyo Architects

VIDEO MUSIC
Johnny Haway – My Gun Do Error

DESIGN TEAM
Alexander Krol, David Jiménez Iniesta, Paula Currás E Iciar Arboledas

CONSTRUCTOR
Plaintec

TYPE
Commercial › Exhibition Center Cultural › Cultural Center Gallery Hall/Theater Educational › Auditorium Other

COMPACT AND FLEXIBLE

One of the major challenges of the project was to combine at the ground floor level the required flexibility for a multifunctional and public space, and allowing at the same time the possibility to locate 30.000 books of the library. 

Instituto Cervantes Bruselas
© Miguel de Guzmán
Instituto Cervantes Bruselas
© Miguel de Guzmán

The system proposed to solve this issue was a three-dimensional version of the Cervantes Institute Logo. Orthogal geometries created by thick red lines which limit undefined spaces. 

One can move between this lines full of books and spend some time sitting on the benches located on the hallways or going out to wider spaces to enjoy the lecture at the café. 

Instituto Cervantes Bruselas
© Miguel de Guzmán
Instituto Cervantes Bruselas
© Miguel de Guzmán

The books work also as a storefront background. The activities allocated in this floor are visible from the street as a way to highlight its public essence. A domestic library, a coffee hall, a multifunctional space with stands or the information displayed on the monitors.

INTERLINKED PATHS

The ground floor is a single and continous space. There are lines of vision that cross the space from one side to the other. The light comming through the windows of a façade can be seen from the other one.

Instituto Cervantes Bruselas
© Miguel de Guzmán
Instituto Cervantes Bruselas
© Miguel de Guzmán

However, there are clearly separate enclosures and routes; the library has a defined and controlled access point, but when we go inside it, we find places to rest, windows, points of visual contact with the rest of the program. 

Inside of the library route, the most sheltered angle hosts the children’s library area. Then, at halfway a ramp rise above the grount finishing the tour on a reading room furnished as a domestic space surrounded by books, but at the same time serving as a storefront and a stage.

Instituto Cervantes Bruselas
© Miguel de Guzmán
Instituto Cervantes Bruselas
© Miguel de Guzmán

The remaining space is diaphanous, with some furniture elements that support the variety of uses that can be developed over time. 

A mobile bar is situated below the library system in the center or the plant letting to transform the area into a café or serving as a reception desk. 

A pixelated sky ceiling that encloses all the installations machines, stablishes a direct dialogue with the language use to solve the stair that connects the hall in the second floor that gives access to the classrooms.

Instituto Cervantes Bruselas
© Miguel de Guzmán
Instituto Cervantes Bruselas
© Miguel de Guzmán

CIRCULAR CLASSROOMS

We have observed that the teaching system used by the Instituto Cervantes requires a circle arrangement of students. 

We also take account that this circle arrangement conflicts with the square perimeter of the usual spaces for this use. Therefore, we plan to mark the circle in the classrooms with an element of simple construction. 

Instituto Cervantes Bruselas
© Miguel de Guzmán
Instituto Cervantes Bruselas
© Miguel de Guzmán

In the interstices suitably chosen plants are placed to help clean the atmosphere of the room.The circle is coated with recycled PETT felt, which is acoustically absorbent, and allows the communication of teachers and students to be sharp and effective. 

The coloured felt works also as a contrasting background that allows us to gladly reuse the existing chairs in the previous headquarters

Instituto Cervantes Bruselas
© Miguel de Guzmán
Instituto Cervantes Bruselas
© Miguel de Guzmán

BETWEEN CLASSROOMS

The central space accommodates complementary and temporary functions, framed by curtains or light furniture, which also allows to use it as a classroom for teaching activities.

It is a space between classrooms, used for waiting to start a class, informal talks, to manage enrollment periods, and also for extracurricular activities. The velvet curtains work acoustically, while giving this space a theatrical character that facilitates the role play, much needed for language learning.

Instituto Cervantes Bruselas
© Miguel de Guzmán
Instituto Cervantes Bruselas
© Miguel de Guzmán

Everything is pre-existing, recycled or, if new, mobile
Preexisting, apart from the structure and the enclosure, we found interesting elements to preserve; the temptation would be to empty everything and start over, but many installations and even finishes could be preserved and integrated into a new concept.

For example, we wanted to raise the roofs of the ground floor, which we make public, but we do not want to eliminate existing air conditioning ducts. 

Instituto Cervantes Bruselas
© Miguel de Guzmán
Instituto Cervantes Bruselas
© Miguel de Guzmán

That's why we make a "minecraft", a three-dimensional pixel that allows us to adapt the new volume bypassing ducts and machines. In addition, recycled PET felt pixels trap and absorb sound, sheltering the auditorium library and cafe.

Recycled, in the mature market of Brussels it is possible to find recycled materials of high quality and benefits at very competitive prices. In addition, the Institute had materials from the previous headquarters (and other centres) that can be easily incorporated.

Instituto Cervantes Bruselas
© Miguel de Guzmán
Instituto Cervantes Bruselas
© Miguel de Guzmán

For example, the Instituto Cervantes had shelves for books, different times and materials that we can relocate here. How to integrate them into a unitary library concept storefront? All you have to do is fill them with the red colour of the Institute's style book.

Mobile, so that the investments in new materials of equipment can be reused in the future regardless of functional or strategic changes.

Instituto Cervantes Bruselas
© Miguel de Guzmán
Instituto Cervantes Bruselas
© Miguel de Guzmán
Instituto Cervantes Bruselas
© Miguel de Guzmán

For example, much of the supposedly fixed furniture is divided into separate pieces to make them manageable. 

In addition, some parts have hidden wheels, allowing you to reconfigure the space easily.


Instituto Cervantes Bruselas


Instituto Cervantes Bruselas
Instituto Cervantes Bruselas
Instituto Cervantes Bruselas
Instituto Cervantes Bruselas

Carlos Arroyo Architects
T +34 915 213569
Carlos Arroyo Architects
Calle del Almirante, 11, Centro, 28004 Madrid, Spain