FENT

Strength in unity. And design, collaboration, and teamwork are the keys to the temporary installation that the School of Architecture (ETSA) of the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) uses to celebrate its 60th anniversary and bring the school closer to the city centre.

"For a few days, this installation becomes an open laboratory for architecture, design, culture and public participation. It is one of the main initiatives marking the 60th anniversary of the ETSA beyond the university campus," says its director, Ernesto Fenollosa.

"This installation is also an open window onto the city, through which we can showcase what we do at the school and why we must care for the quality of the architecture around us," explains the deputy director of culture at the ETSA, Nuria Matarredona. Workshops are planned with pupils from primary and secondary schools "to learn about all this through play with them, and we will be holding a series of events with organisations such as the Fundació del Disseny, the Arquia Foundation and the Regional Association of Architects, amongst others, to discuss architecture for all audiences", adds Matarredona.

Fifty faculty members and 100 students from the various degree programmes offered at the school have built a stackable structure from recycled wood that will be fully reusable. Javier Bono, a lecturer in the Graphic Expression in Architecture Department, is one of the lecturers who has coordinated this project. "The ETSA management decided that a good way to bring the school to the city was for the whole school to work together to design and build an installation in the centre of Valencia, where we can hold anniversary events, teach lessons and organise workshops." It will be inaugurated on 2 November at 7 pm in the Plaza del Patriarca.

Recycled materials

Students "from practically every degree programme taught at the ETSA, as well as academic staff from all departments", have taken part. In addition, numerous organisations, companies and chairs have been involved in making this installation a reality. "Thanks to the Maderamen Chair and LignumTech, all the material is reused wood to which we are giving a new lease of life. We are building architecture and designing with this material," explains Javier Bono.

The lighting fixtures, for example, are supplied by Simón; the roofing is by Flexbrick; and the furniture is by Actiu. The project's development and implementation have been sponsored by organisations such as ATG Desarrollos, the Kerakoll Chair, the EMR Chair, the Habitatge Chair, Spirit Ingeniería, MHSV, AV2, Hardman and the insurance company Asemas. "Thanks to all the work that has been done, both inside and outside the school, we can offer a sustainable and circular project," says Bono.

The initiative also benefits from the collaboration of Valencia City Council, which has facilitated the location in the historic centre of the city, and forms part of Sandbox València, with a broad understanding that includes new solutions and forms of collaboration in the urban space.

The design has been outlined in accordance with the principles of environmental, social and economic sustainability. Waste materials have been used with a circular economy approach. "There is a clear commitment to championing high-quality public space and demonstrating architecture's transformative potential," explains Ernesto Fenollosa.

A challenge

Academic staff and students have been working on an equal footing since June; "we've all pulled together to ensure this major challenge can be realised," explains the lecturer from the Graphic Expression in Architecture Department. The temporary installation is the result of teamwork.

The more than 60 modules that make up the installation were constructed in ETSA's model-making workshop. On the afternoon of Tuesday 13 October, part of it was unveiled on the Vera campus. This complemented the school's official anniversary celebration, which had taken place at the Palau de l'Exposició that very same morning.

It served as a dress rehearsal for this modular project, which allows for easy, relatively quick assembly and disassembly. The installation consists of panels measuring three metres by one and a half metres that are assembled like building blocks, without the need for screws. A sustainable project to celebrate 60 years of teaching by doing what they do best: FENT Arquitectura.