Practical case of intervention: architectural remains as landscape. Rehabilitation of ruin in Mount Abantos

Abstract

We present the case of the intervention: Rehabilitation of an existing ruin in public Mount Abantos. We found the ruins of stone walls erected in the time of the dictator Franco. These ruins were located among the pines in a natural place declared Public Mount. The order comes after the fire that suffered this mountain. The intervention seeks citizen awareness towards this natural resource. Although ruin lacked great heritage value, the years spent at the site managed to be part of it. It had become an evocative element whose value would be desirable to preserve: some granite walls that were never finished. To keep the evocative capacity of ruin it was decided preserve the existing, built with few materials and not build the entire perimeter. The intention was not to lose the image of ruin to become the building that never came to be, but to maintain that image enhancing the granite walls that were still standing. Article 45 of the Spanish Constitution establishes the right of all to enjoy an environment suitable for the development of the individual, the duty to preserve and the obligation of public authorities of ensuring the rational use of all natural resources in order to protect and improve the quality of life and preserving and restoring the environment, relying on the indispensable collective solidarity. With this ruin rehabilitation knowledge and respect is promoted towards the Mount Abantos through a building whose function is become interpretive center of this mount. Within the strategy of maximum respect for the ruin is proposed that all new elements do not try to imitate the older, thus honestly shows the past and the present.