The Spanish Pavilion offers 8,000 square meters of space, and its interior is outfitted with a wide array of green features – including cork ceilings and low-energy lighting. The building’s roof features a system of drains that recycle rainwater in addition to solar thermal panels and a massive photovoltaic array that capitalizes on the region’s abundance of sunlight. A smart energy management system keeps track of the building’s temperature as well as its electricity and water consumption.
The 2008 Zaragoza Expo was a tremendous success as hundreds of pavilions, parades, and events drew thousands of visitors each day. Each of the expo’s pavilions was designed to be purchased and reused after the expo, however the economic crisis hit Spain hard and the country’s unemployment rate has risen from 5% to 20% over the past few years. As a result, many of the pavilions currently stand empty and are in various states of renovation – a postmodern ghost town with an uncertain future. Fortunately, Mangado’s Spanish Pavilion has a brighter future than some of the other blighted structures – it is currently being renovated to house Spain’s National Renewable Energy Center (CENER).
All photos by Mike Chino for Inhabitat
too bad it never rains in Spain
not even in the plains
and how will they grow that lawn?
negative water consamption
how much energy that wonderful ceramic thing consumed?
is that an algea plume or silted dam
Love that the roof is recycling rainwater. Very intriguing building. trope group
Caravel, might be the other way around. The Spanish Pavilion in Zaragoza was completed in early 2008.
We don’t expect architects to reinvent the wheel but you might say that this was inspired by Carmody Groarke’s Regent’s Place Pavilion http://www.carmodygroarke.com/projects/publicspace/060.html