Despite Seville’s inland location, the city does in fact have a port on the River Guadalquivir in the heart of town. River cruises arrive at the port and dock to let passengers on and off, with easy access to historic center and many tourist attractions. To accommodate these cruises, Seville needed a new multi-purpose terminal that was flexible enough to handle ships with varying amounts of passengers. The project also needed to be extendable, movable, comfortable, rapidly assembled, and versatile enough to host other events.
Hombre de Piedra and buró4 turned to prefabricated shipping containers to meet these needs. The project utilizes 23 high cube containers stacked alongside each other in an alternating checkerboard pattern. Floors and walls were cut away from the containers and windows were added to create a large and airy hall when the modules were put together. In total, the terminal was built in 45 days – 30 days to fabricate the modules off site, a day to transport and then 14 days to complete the installation.
Related: Visit Seville’s Giant Metropol Parasol That Covers An Entire Square
Bioclimatic strategies were utilized to ensure the container terminal did not become an oven during Seville’s hot summers. The containers are painted white with a special ceramic coating that works to reflect sunlight and reduce heat gain. Additionally, window placement, shading and natural ventilation all work in concert to reduce interior heat gain, making the inside cool even if it’s hot outside. When the space is not used as a cruise terminal, it can be rented out for other events.
Via Jetson Green and ArchDaily
Images ©Jesús Granada and buró4
