Situated at the foot of the Pyrenees mountains, this project composes an ambitious program of 2,200 units of new housing, 27 holes of golf, a clubhouse and hotel, commercial spaces, schools, social centers and nearly 80 hectares of natural reserve, public parks and private gardens. Phase 1 includes the golf courses, clubhouse and hotel, 250 units of houses, the core zones of public space, private gardens and a semi-public swimming and sports zone. Given the importance of the region’s natural resources and rich vernacular language, the project has grown from the team’s initial ecological and architectural studies of the area. A series of new lakes, public promenades and finger parks play an important role in connecting the new residents to the abundant number of outdoor activities that already exist in the Tena Valley.

Embedded into the groundplane, the clubhouse makes the primary contact with the landscape. Above hovers the hotel “box”. The landscape components mitigate the transition between the rolling terrain which wraps the lower level of the building and the vast open spaces of the golf course beyond. Bosques of native trees and bands of ornamental grasses mark these undulating fingers. The Margas light used in the public parks mutates to become a horizontal lamp and contaminates the handrail detail. It wraps the building edges and throws light onto the paths and restaurant terraces. A courtyard punctures the clubhouse floorplan and brings light to the center of the building which also serves as the hotel and clubhouse entry. An oversized bench, corten fountain and Oak trees, inhabit this space.

The sports area of Las Margas rests between the eastern edge of the housing and the path which circulates around the site. Fronton, paddle ball, tennis, an all-purpose court and a soccer field are scattered next to one another within this space. The interstitial zones between the elements are lined with benches for spectators and planted with native trees for shade. Entrances are dispersed as often as possible to filter people in and out of the sports realm. A swimming complex anchors the southern edge of this landscape and its café and changing rooms insulate the pools from 2 long bands of public parking. A small square marks the exterior of the café and entrance to both the swimming area and park’s principal promenade.

Data

Place: Latas, Spain
Landscape architect: VWA

Architect: (master-planning, housing and hotel/clubhouse) Ruiz Lacruz Arquitectos & Abadias Arquitecto. Francisco Lacruz Abad  and Carlos Abadias.
Engineer: ATAIN S.L.: Germán Lázaro Oviedo and Carolina Cristóbal Calvo

Client: Nozar S.A., Madrid

Program: Public parks, streetscapes, parking, semipublic gardens, private garden for hotel and clubhouse, semi-public swimming pool and public courts and fields

Area: Parks, gardens and streets – 20 hectares
Buildings: 200’000m²
Project: 2003

Construction: 2005-08