Spanish architects come together in defense of La Casa van der Driesche

The Van der Driesche House, the work of Spanish architects awarded with the National Architecture Prize 2016 José Antonio Martínez Lapeña and Elías Torres Tur, has managed to escape in extremis from the demolition, thus avoiding a new episode of cultural insensitivity and loss of Spanish architectural heritage contemporary.

Last Tuesday, September 18, the Consell de Ibiza approved a decree in which it agreed to suspend the execution of the demolition works of Casa van der Driesche for a maximum period of three months. Since it is not cataloged or declared of cultural interest, the next objective is to take the appropriate measures to preserve the cultural values of this property, avoiding any work or intervention that alters the original characteristics of the complex.

As we already knew on August 2, the Insular Commission of Territorial Planning, Urbanism and Artistic Historical Heritage (Ciotupha) denied the architects' request to describe this house as an Asset of Cultural Interest (BIC), claiming that it is not historical heritage and cultural the interest of said property was sufficiently accredited. Faced with this fact, the Official College of Architects of the Balearic Islands (COAIB) presented an appeal to this body to prevent the demolition of this house of a maximum patrimonial value.

The Official College of Architects of the Balearic Islands has had the support of the Superior Council of Associations of Architects of Spain (CSCAE), which contacted several authorities of the Balearic Islands requesting in writing that the necessary measures be taken for the protection of the cited property and thus avoid demolition since the disappearance of this building would mean an irreplaceable and irreversible loss in the catalog of cultural assets corresponding to the historical heritage.

Among the tasks of the CSCAE is the defense of the general interest in the protection, conservation, enrichment, promotion, research and dissemination of historical heritage. For this reason, the Board has valued very positively that the intermediary institutions have decided to return to study the case and requests that its incorporation be declared as Cataloged Good to avoid its loss.

In recent years, architects, schools and its Council have worked to limit the architectural loss, especially in buildings of the modern and contemporary movement, which in the past has made disappear works of great importance and historical and artistic importance of Spain. Although satisfactory results are being achieved, such as the aforementioned La Casa van der Driesche or the Cuatro Caminos garage, whose appeal against the decision not to protect them has recently been accepted by the High Court of Justice of Madrid, there is still much work to be done . do to continue avoiding the loss of this cultural heritage of universal value for society.

5 essential questions if you are going to hire an interior designer

1. Why hire an interior designer?

For your experience When we face a reform, we are not aware of all the agents that intervene, of the decisions that will have to be made, of the money that we are going to spend and, definitely, of all the time that we are going to have to invest. An interior designer can advise us, help us and also give us a professional answer to all questions. In short, to facilitate the process and take as naturally as possible the enormous challenge of making a reform.

2. Will the tastes of the interior designer end up imposing on mine?

In one of the first stages, the interior designer has to know the client: their tastes, their way of living, how many people will be in the house, schedules, etc. Think that the distribution, colors and furniture chosen will be the result of these conversations. The interior designer can not make a reform thinking about what he or she would put in their perfect house or according to market trends.

3. How will the interior designer help me through the reform?

Will give advice on technical issues and when choosing materials; In addition, as an expert or expert in the sector, it will be the person who is in direct contact with the professionals we deal with throughout the reform. Lastly -possibly the hardest part of the reform-, he will be in charge of managing the work and getting everything expressed in the sketches to come true.

4. Will the interior designer know how to adapt to my budget?

Yes, he will know how to adjust to it. How? It will control that the constructor adjusts to the budgeted ones in the phase of design. Also, for example, if the client wants a certain sofa, which goes out of budget, the interior designer can foresee it and try to find a tile for the bathroom where it can be saved. It is clear that the money that the client is going to spend is a decision of his, at least the final decision. What is advisable is to know from the outset what the overall budget of the reform is, from the fees of the interior designer or expenditure on materials, to how much the workforce will be or how much the furniture will cost.

5. How is a reform budgeted?

There is no formula: each project is different. The best thing is to close the price of everything that is going to be done according to the project and, if during the works there is something that you decide to remove, increase or make new, budget, add or subtract from the budget. Keep in mind that it increases a lot if there are things that are not decided in the project, both in money and time. It is clear that contingencies always appear, which suppose an increase in the final cost.

Hardy Brand Identity by Pacifica

Portuguese studio Pacifica was responsible for the new identity and packaging for Hardy, a company that produces handcrafted smoked salmon, using only “the freshest salmon loins, the finest local sea salt and a special secret blend of wood chips”.

“Hardy’s graphic identity results from two main ideas: the use and manipulation of a strong typography that evokes a Germanic aesthetic, rigid and sharp as a cutting knife and the symbol that reproduces the Hardy process, the salmon fillet, with its texture and repetition of pattern, and a drawstring tie that binds it to the smoker.

The packaging was treated as an extension of the brand, natural and appealing. The packaging is entirely made of raw micro-corrugated cardboard with UV color printing. With a minimalist and assertive look, the packaging represents the salmon and the handle reproduces the logo loop. Two different packages have been created. The FULL Salmon for sale at the brand’s factory, for points of sale and on the website and HALF Salmon for specialized outlets with use of a cutout that allows the viewer to see the salmon.”