SANCHO EL SABIO FOUNDATION
The Sancho el Sabio Foundation, dating from 1964, is the main documentation and investigation centre of Basque culture and history.
The proposal involves the recovery of a former cemetery and based on that, the development of the remaining building. Because the programme contemplates important storage spaces, it was decided that all of the storage areas and adjoining work areas would be on basement level and the former cemetery would hold a lobby, meeting rooms, administration, and movement.
The main idea is to preserve the old building in a glass structure that would also provide natural light to the basement level.
To achieve this, a perimetrical ring around the cemetery is emptied and the glass façade of the new building is built up from this fissure.
The basement is developed as an external ring around the cemetery and in it are located different storage and work rooms.
The proposal contemplates the coexistence of the two buildings. Illumination at night will allow the total comprehension of the proposal as one can clearly see the old building wrapped in a glass shell.
