Expo Zaragoza 2008 :: Campsite

Accommodation

El Canal Campsite

To complement the Expo Accommodation Network, Zaragoza City Council offers alternatives such as El Canal Campsite, located in the Ecocity, Valdespartera, 4 km from the Expo site.

The condition for building was that the ground could be used for various alternatives. The camping spaces have a flexible layout so that they can be used in an ordered or dispersed way. The green and sporting areas together with the camping facilities can be used in different ways, adapting to diverse situations.
The final decision was as follows:

• Main residential building refurbished for use as a hostel and restaurant.
• Warden's residence renovated to house the campsite manager and storage facility.
• Stables reused for service installations and storage.
• Services block turned into sports equipment storage.
• Green area of the property consolidated and restored as a recreational area, childrens playground and camping spaces.
• Indoor football court restored as a multi-purpose sports facility.
• Tennis court upgraded.
• Pelota court upgraded.
• Grassed area to be used as children's recreational area (in STAGE 1 camping area).
• Children's playground next to grassed area.
• New buildings: three service blocks, one housing showers, washbasins, toilets, laundry rooms, etc, one containing fourteen twin rooms?, and the last for entrance, reception, supermarket, Internet access, sick bay, etc, together with other minor uses.

Architecture description

• Renovated buildings
  The renovated buildings (main residential building, warden's residence, stables and service block) will maintain their appearance as faithfully as possible, so as not to alter the style of the property drastically. Interiors keep the same criterion and philosophy, but with adaptations for the proposed use.
• New buildings
  Two general criteria were fundamental for these new buildings: creating a space between the existing buildings and the new ones while achieving a harmonious blend between the architecture of the two areas.

Brise-soleil, use of light and shade, use of compatible materials, blurring of the boundary between interior and exterior, compatibility with other uses, versatility, cleaning and maintenance provisions, etc. amongst other things, are aspects that have been taken into account for its construction.

There are five different structures in this area:

• Three service blocks
• Accommodation building
• Building for supermarket, reception, etc.

Service infrastructure works

As this is a campsite with a large surface area, service infrastructure includes the following:

• Upgrading of existing roadways with resurfacing.
• Regeneration of green areas and planting in areas affected by works and untouched areas.
• Car park next to the current entrance.
• Sports facilities upgrade
• Service infrastructure in the area were the new buildings are located.
• New roads and trees in the campsite area.
• General installations, in both existing and new areas.
• Security measures in all areas.
• New fence as indicated in the plans.
• Minor actions
• Execution in three stages.

Environmental factors of the project.

The building for accommodation is equipped with a solar energy system, made up of a 150-litre heat storage tank with a coil, a high-performance solar water heater located on the roof and a hydraulic unit. Water heated by the solar energy system feeds the boiler for domestic hot water and heating. Furthermore, the general installations have a photovoltaic solar system made up of panels located on the roof of the new installations, formerly stables.

Additionally, new buildings also feature louvred facades to control light and heat, and to provide good ventilation in the summer. We are trying to obtain environmental solutions through simple, careful and abstract architecture by recycling and reusing materials and integrating them with nature .

For more information  www.campingzaragoza.com