Subject of this practical study is the examination of an urban design concept by the Spanish architect and urban planner Juan Guardiola Gaya, called the “Club del Mar”.
The “Club del Mar” was completed in 1970 and is one of hundreds of buildings by Gaya in the area of Sant Joan d’Alacant. It features a curved, nearly one-kilometer-long structure with 14-storys. The building is divided into multiple sections and access points that follow step-like the surrounding terrain.
Initially thought to be the public center of Sant Joan, the “club” is characterized by a big array of leisure facilities. The ground floor featured shops, cafes and restaurants. The outer grounds on the other hand were completed with an Olympic sized swimming pool, several basketball and tennis courts, as well as a mini golf area and shaded gardens.
Initially thought to be the public center of Sant Joan, the “club” is characterized by a big array of leisure facilities. The ground floor featured shops, cafes and restaurants. The outer grounds on the other hand were completed with an Olympic sized swimming pool, several basketball and tennis courts, as well as a mini golf area and shaded gardens.
Today the “club” is walled-off and closed to the public. Many of its communal functions have either vanished or are accessible only to residents.
My following architectural drawings examine the specifics of the object in detail.
