Police Headquarters
POLICE HEADQUARTERS
Juan Alberto Morillas Martín
ARCHITECTS
Juan Alberto Morillas Martín
LOCATION
Granada, Spain
CATEGORY
Police Station
AREA
2751.0 m²
YEAR
2010
Text description provided by architect.
This is a resounding, simple and compact building. It consists of four-stories, one below ground and three above ground. It creates a container in which all elements are modulated on the basis of the structural grid of 7.5 m. x 7.5 m, using the module to size all indoor spaces and configure the volume.
The main entrance is from the northwest on the lower ground floor level where there are open spaces with access to the public hall and classrooms.
Access to the other levels is restricted to police personnel. A control booth is located in front of the main entrance to allow control over both pedestrian and vehicle traffic.
To allow maximum flexibility in a greater space, all open space has been designed in modules with elevators, restrooms and stairs symmetrically placed at both ends of the facility.
This results in the liberation of all of the internal space to be able to organize or divide it based on required needs and can be easily adapted in the future.
The two main floors are organized according into “work units”, creating individual or shared offices in the northeast headwall and spacious open-plan work areas in the south headwall. All divisions are made with modular partitions, which allow great flexibility in the internal organization of space.
All facilities, (electricity, cooling, ventilation, voice-data, etc.), and the aluminum exterior, are designed to allow the subdivision of larger rooms and the grouping of smaller spaces.
We have tried to minimize energy consumption with a design based on concepts of bioclimatic architecture, taking into account the guidelines of the different facades and placing the broad areas of work in the southwest facade and front offices in the northwest.
In both cases, large expanses of glass allow as much natural light capture as possible and a system of tall, wide aluminum slats are vertically positioned to prevent direct entrance of sunlight.
These blades are motorized and operate with a solar sensor system that controls the orientation of these blades, changing the image of the building continuously.
An automated system regulates the artificial lighting and the movement of the slats. In the exterior, opaque surfaces, a ventilated façade is achieved by employing a highly finished natural limestone.
