zU

La Bretxa Public Plaza in San Sebastian 

Developer : City Hall of San Sebastian-Donostia

Architecture :  zU-studio architecture 

Architect : Javier Zubiria Gallastegui

Technical architect : Lander Arregui 

zU-studio creates a huge sunflower for LA BRETXA public space in San Sebastian

La Bretxa is a well known public space just in front of the local traditional market located at the old town of the Basque City .

 “We want to create an iconic public space that will be lived and remembered , the strong sacred geometry shapes the Plaza building a timeless urban intervention that is inspired by Basque simbology ” Javier Zubiria, founder/ architect of zU-studio .

The new proposal is aiming to celebrate the public plaza and to build the right public space for the people to come together , in difference to all the most recent interventions taken in the last few decades, when new volumes were added.

The public plaza is strategically located in the city, acting as a gate to the old town, for people coming from Gros, the city center or the Boulevard.

In the Basque Country, there is a tradition to place a sunflower (in Basque language called “Eguzki-Lore”) in front of a door of a house, in order to protect it from bad energies and spirits.

In this case, a giant “Eguzki-Lore” is proposed in the Plaza, to protect the whole Old Town from bad energies .

The Plaza is accesible from the four corners, establishing a geometrical link with another basque symbol, the Lauburu (means for heads). This ancient Basque symbol is often referred to as the Basque cross, and the four heads represent the four elements (fire, water, air, earth). It symbolizes unity and identity for the Basque people.

These two diagonals with the four entries to the Plaza , will connect beautifully the streets around the Plaza with the center of the Plaza, where a peaceful and serene space sorrounder by greenery will give a sense of a oasis in the middle of the city .

There will be a lot of benches so the citizens can spend quality time outdoors.

A central sculptural bench with a very organic shape is the culmination of the flower. A bench to be lived individually or collectively, will invite and evoke humans to have spontaneous conversations , moments of stilness ,… It is a new typology of bench that will allow all kind of interactions.

The Plaza has been conceived for the daily use of the neighbours that go to the Market , but also for special events that could potentially take place on it .

A central scupture , inspired by the Argizaiola, a Basque funerary object, often described as a candle board used in the cult for ancestors to honor and light the way for the dead, will honor and remember those who one day enjoyed this Public Space .