El Arca de Schindler - Límite Infinito

Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanismo, Tucumán

Project idea

“The infinite limit”, project generating idea
As I got into the approach to the subject, the need arose to take it with respect and cling to architecture as a tool, which would allow me to materialize the feelings and emotions perceived in that place.
I immersed myself in history, stories and images, as well as artistic productions made by hand to try to get closer to the experience at that time. I realized about the heritage value that prevails in each wall and in each building built on that site, and in the worldwide relevance that this place had.
From my artistic, poetic and architectural perspective, with this project I want to pass on a sequence of episodes lived by Jewish people in the nazi period, (The infinite limit - Nekonecná Hranice), where the trail seems never-ending. In the beginning of the trail, this project tries to reflect the heaviness, the darkness and the gloom representing the repression and inhuman conditions that the Jews people were put through. Later in the track, after encountering yourself with obstacles on the crosswalk, the path will be more lightened to finish with wide glazed spaces flooded with natural light and greenery, matching the existing river´s course, representing peace, silence and connection with life.

"Crowned with spikes
pain, war, forced labor
a reality that no one can see.

Stripped of dignity,
there is no way out
the limit accompanies you
until the end of time

Rupture, hope and resurrection
rising from the ashes
the new opportunity to be reborn and to live,
to break THE INFINITE LIMIT."

Project description

The project's master plan seeks to revitalize the area, through the re-functionalization and restoration of existing buildings loaded with heritage value in the city of Brenec. At the urban level, a network of railways is proposed to facilitate the arrival of visitors, tourists and students in a short period of time, as well as a historical urban route that connects the different points or concentration camps used during the war period.
When we talk about the village of Brenec, we find mostly adult people who live in a quiet place of small rural houses within a piece of land with large green spaces and slopes given by its location placed in a mountainous area.
Given these circumstances, two poles are proposed within the project:
- North Side: an immersive museum where one can know and learn about what happened under the German historical period under the command of Nazism, and the salvation of 1200 Jews by the Nazi soldier, known as Oscar Schindler. All this located in the concentration camp within the heart of Brenec, taking over the existing buildings where they were housed.

- South Side: multigenerational housing blocks are proposed in which coexist families formed mainly by elderly people, married couples and marriages with children, providing them with all the necessary services for a dignified and calm life. Open spaces are proposed for recreation, planting and harvesting food, open and controlled spaces for children's games and places of relaxation embraced by the existing nature. These spaces allow in turn, the integration of the existing community to participate in regional events and provide a new possibility of using various services in one place.

Both sectors, as well as each of the buildings, will be crossed by an elevated street that will accompany pedestrians throughout path of the project, facilitating access to each of the sites and allowing them to see all the spaces.

Technical information

The project is located on an irregular terrain, in the middle of a valley, on which different levels of buildings are located. It was resolved with esplanades on 3 levels, saving the heights through the use of vertical circulation systems, such as panoramic elevators, stairs and ramps.

In the northern side, it was decided to preserve and highlight the existing materiality of the site due to its heritage value, achieving uniformity by using exposed brick, with a rustic finish and steel and concrete structures to save large spans. In the arrival building (The Crown - Cristal Box), I decided to use glass to allow large views of the Ark and the immediate surroundings, in addition to providing a quiet environment that prevents the entrance of external noise due to the acoustic insulation properties of the material.

In the southern side, a reflective glass envelope was chosen to give the sensation of invisibility of the housing sector in order to prevent visual competition between the housing blocks and the area of relevance with historic buildings. Its structure is achieved through the formation of supporting structures of double steel structural profiles "T" and "C" of appropriate sections, with the subsequent assembly of glazed panels, reminiscent of the modern construction approaches of Mies Van Der Rohe in his iconic architecture.

It is important to emphasize that the entire project is planned for the use of sustainable characteristics in terms of the reutilization of rainwater and existing river water, which through potable treatment, will flow through the facilities of each of the buildings for its use. In addition of considering the use of adequate windows that allow the entrance of solar radiation and heat conservation, necessary to provide a good quality of life to the user.