Plaza de toros

PABLO PEÑÍN, ALBERTO PEÑÍN

INGENIERIA: ALEJANDRO MARQUÉS (GIA S.L.)
ARQUEOLOGIA: CONCHA CAMPS

The proposed intervention is based on the premise of maximum respect for the building, declared a National Monument of Cultural Interest of the Valencian Community, completed in 1860 in neoclassical style. The project consisted of the rehabilitation of the Bullring of Valencia, intensively used not only by bullfighting performances, but also dedicated to other kind of shows, meetings and activities, given its location in the city center and its capacity for 12.000 people.

Several needs were adressed, such as the improvement of the seats comfort; the compliance with the current regulation regarding building health and hygiene, public shows, accessibility and fire safety; the integration of new uses (museum, offices, locker rooms, etc.) and the new maintenance requirements of the building. For all of these requirements, a previous Plan was elaborated with the Provincial Council of Valencia, which provided the guidelines for the building’s rehabilitation and general upgrade, dividing the plan into three stages depending on its urgency and availability. It started in 2008 with the more pressing works, such as the restrooms and the building consolidation, and it was continued in 2009 with the adaptation to the current regulation, and several improvement works (seats, remaining restrooms, vomitoriums, evacuation stairs, adaptation of entrances for disabled visitors, dampness prevention and repair, etc.) which was finished in 2010 and constitute at the moment the bulk of the interventions featured herein. The third stage remains planned for later on, which will conclude the utilization of the old pens sites -dating back to the 1930s- and include the improvement of the surrounding areas, with the demolition of the Dr. Serra passageway’s wall -built alongside other high-rise residential buildings during the 1960s- and its opening onto the public street which will enable a complete view of the building. This stage will address the accessory building construction (budgeted at 7.360.475 €) that, having the same height as the Bullring arena (as agreed with the Provincial Council) will serve as a visual background covering the exposed dividing walls, and will accommodate the currently lacking services and complete the needs for evacuation, accessibility, Council and managing company logistics, bullfighters, artists, employees and visitors. To this end, a Modification of the Special Plan for the area has been drafted, which is currently being processed. The accompanying visualizations illustrate this operation. Lastly, during this third stage, the improvement of the nayas and wooden box seats, and the evacuation platforms from the second and third galleries.

The illustrations accompanying this text reflect the change of the seat rows slopes in order to increase visibility –as well as the vaults waterproofing-, the new artificial stone seats that reuse the original cast iron stands, the stainless steel and phenolic panels used in the new restroom units, fitting the original standard openings of the building, both on the ground floor and the first floor gallery, and the introduction of two staircases for evacuation from the nayas to the street exits, which were conceived as elements detached from the original brick fabric. All these interventions have sought to enhance the characteristics of Sebastian Monleon’s superb building, highlighting its mouldings, arcs, pilasters, and beams, which remained hidden until now.