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Vallès Occidental Waste Treatment Centre
Batlle i Roig Arquitectura, Enric Batlle i Durany, Joan Roig i Duran
The Waste Treatment Center (CTR) is located on a slope of the Coll Cardús mountain massif, in the municipality of Vacarisses, in the region of Vallès Occidental. This site was currently occupied by the facilities of a controlled waste deposit on the verge of exhausting its capacity. This fact caused the management entity of the controlled deposit to consider it necessary to regulate its closure and to study the possible future uses of the area. The choice of the location of the CTR was made taking into account criteria of logistical and economic suitability, as well as minimisation of the environmental impact that entails the installation and exploitation of activities related to waste management. The activity of the pre-existing landfill had not been respectful of its immediate surroundings and had caused alterations to the natural environment and modifications to the existing topography. For this reason, it was decided to implement the facilities in the areas where the activity of the landfill had already spoiled the natural environment. Despite the magnitude of the centre’s facilities, the project aims to achieve maximum landscape integration with the environment. For this, a maximum topographical adaptation is sought, where the impact of the roofs and façades is minimised through the subsequent landscape revegetation. The project envisages the construction of a large roof under which the two large treatment areas will be located. These, separated by the access road, have different heights and are based on different elevations, which is why the roof changes its geometry depending on the programmes and the dimensions of each site. The variety of requirements that the roof must accommodate, forced ventilation, skylights, etc., is homogenised through a graphic structure that also allows it to be converted into a landscape cover. The different circles contain soils, gravels and upholstery specific to the region that will eventually have to balance the impact of the installations without falling into camouflage or imitation.2008 - 2010