Local studio K+M Arquitectura y Urbanismo has completed Espacio Libertad, a red timber pavilion that provides an "open stage" for a long-standing cultural institution in Lima, Peru.
The wooden pergola fills a 700-square-metre courtyard behind a neoclassical mansion in the district of Milaflores, home to the headquarters of the French cultural association Alianza Francesa de Lima.
Standing over seven metres tall and matching the roofline of its neighbour, which was given heritage status in 2007, the "contemporary shelter" also aims to give the association a new presence on the street and act as a meeting place for the Franco-Peruvian community.
The pavilion's enclosure is formed by 20 stilt-like columns running around its perimeter. A crisscrossing canopy with 14-metre wooden beams is secured to the columns with metal joints.
The structure is covered with a thick transparent polycarbonate sheet, which protects the space from sun and rain, and features curtains that can be drawn to create partitions for performances or concerts.
"We were looking for an intervention that would not only provide a multi-purpose space but also create a new facade for the building when viewed from the road", said Marta Morelli, co-founder of K+M Arquitectura y Urbanismo.
"The strategy was to not touch the existing building, but instead to introduce a new contemporary structure. The pavilion creates a dialogue with its neighbour through its height and rhythm of vertical elements, without competing with it," Morelli added.
The pergola has been placed in the centre of a new garden, which includes paving, new planted areas and shrubs and vegetation designed to improve the "environmental quality" of the courtyard.
The structure is glued-laminated timber, made of pine imported from Chile and stained a deep red using natural oils. The colour mirrors the association's branding and architectural features in the main building, such as its exterior columns.
According to Morelli, glulam is not widely used in Perum but was chosen due to the material's longevity and limited maintenance requirements. The studio worked with timber manufacturers to hide structural reinforcements and joints in the assembly.
K+M Arquitectura y Urbanismo secured the commission after being invited to take part in a private competition run by Alianza Francesa de Lima. Morelli said the brief was open, and the studio was simply asked to adapt the courtyard into a cultural space, for various events and activities.
"This project has given birth to a new cultural hub, serving as an "open stage" – both literally and metaphorically. It not only hosts performances, plays, talks, and open-air concerts but also offers a free and open platform for a wide range of cultural and artistic interventions that might not fit within traditional venues like galleries, theatres, or concert halls", said Morelli.
"By doing so, the Espacio Libertad has exceeded expectations and enriched the cultural landscape of our city", she continued.
The existing Alianza building was constructed in 1926 and was originally used as a religious school for girls before the school moved to the outskirts of Lima. The building was sold to the association in 1974.
K+M Arquitectura y Urbanismo was founded by Marta Morelli and Sharif Kahatt in 2010 and is based in Lima. The studio has completed housing, office and cultural projects in different cities around Peru.
Recently, Roman Bauer Arquitectos renovated and expanded another cultural institution using traditional building techniques.
The photography is courtesy of K+M Arquitectura y Urbanismo.
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