Return to the simplicity of the past. Castillo-Miras arquitectos.

A tower built 800 years ago near Almeria in Spain, has been given a new lease of life. The project to restore and modernise this monument of Arab origins by the Spanish studio, Castillo-Miras arquitectos removes centuries of modern additions and adapts the building to contemporary times.



Historical buildings tell the story of their location. In this sense, the Huerca-Overa tower near Almeria is a true Spanish history manual. It dates back to the 13th century when it was built by the Arabs from the Nazari kingdom and it survived the Civil War until it ended up back in the hands of the local council that decided to make it more accessible to the general public as a testimony of local history.





Considering the site’s archaeological importance, the first step in the project was to remove all the modern elements and restrict new additions to the use of Cor-ten steel, a pleasing contrast with the mud brick and lime-washed walls of the existing building.





These steel elements, like the rectangular information office or the round stairwell, are recognisable as contemporary, easily removable additions.



Interaction is created between past and present, emphasised by its location in a unique natural context, given the tower’s original use as an outpost to protect the territory.



Castillo-Miras use simple methods and attentive research to make the building an integral part of the territory again, where it can be used as a precious testimony to the past that has been adapted to meet the needs of contemporary life.

project: castillo-miras arquitectos (mercedes miras varela. luis castillo villegas).
client: consejeria de cultura de la junta de andalucia (andalusian regional government. department of cultural affairs).

location: huercal overa. almeria. Spain.

project team: daniel lopez martinez. luis hervas lopez.

photos: (c) fernando alda.
 more photos on http://www.fernandoalda.com