EDU LOPEZ ARCHITECTS
New Civil Guard Headquarter.
Location: Santa Marta de Tormes, Spain
Date: Feb 2021 - Nov 2022
Typology: Office
Size: 1.800 sqm
Status: Completed
Client: Spanish Civil Guard.
Collaborators: Abalo Arquitectos, Juan Carlos Jimeno (Construction), José Julio Díaz, Rocio Acedo, Sandra Lanza
The interpretation of the play of volumes that are combined with each other to generate the interior spaces and accesses.
The project stems from a reflection on compactness, functional clarity, and institutional presence. The building is conceived as a single volume articulated through precise geometric shifts and rotations, producing a recognizable silhouette without losing sobriety. From the earliest design stages, the priority was to organize an efficient, legible, and orderly facility capable of accommodating a complex program without resorting to exaggerated gestures.
The superimposed pieces that define the main volume make it possible to establish a hierarchy of uses and control the building’s scale. The first two floors follow a replicated and rotated geometry, introducing rhythm and controlled tension to the building’s profile. The upper floor is set back, subtly lightening the composition and generating a stepped reading clearly visible in the project images. This volumetric strategy provides unity while introducing nuances that enrich the architectural expression.
Exterior view
One of the project’s most distinctive gestures is the definition of the entrance through a sharp angle projected in plan as a triangular void beneath the upper mass. This space, which marks and emphasizes the access point, is supported by a V-shaped column that visually reinforces the continuity between plan and elevation, making explicit how the building’s formal expression is derived directly from its spatial logic. This operation underscores the idea that architecture grows from coherent spatial decisions rather than superficial add-ons.
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Exterior view
The interior organization responds to criteria of luminosity and transparency. The vertical circulation shafts act as continuous voids that pierce the building and capture natural light throughout the day. In contrast, the workspaces open to the exterior through large windows framed by discreet façade projections that provide shading without compromising the purity of the volume. The images show how these carefully modulated openings order the façade and generate a consistent rhythm.
A defining feature of the project is the use of green-anodized aluminum louvers, which add depth to the glazed surfaces and reinforce the institutional identity of the building. Complementing this is a ceramic façade composed of smooth and fluted pieces arranged in vertical bands, highlighting the junction between the building’s different volumes while simultaneously creating a unified reading of the whole. The alternation of textures introduces subtle vibration, reduces the perceived scale, and establishes a contemporary language based on precision and formal clarity.
Exterior view
Access corner detail
Corner detail
Taken as a whole, the project aims to convey solidity and modernity without compromising the functional demands of a facility of this nature. The concise volumetry, structural clarity, and careful treatment of light result in a building that integrates into its urban context with discretion yet asserts a clear and recognizable institutional presence. The outcome is an architecture that combines rigor, formal economy, and a contemporary understanding of public buildings.
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Exterior view