ACCESSIBILITY AS A GATEWAY
A GENTLY SLOPED PLAZA AND A UNIFIED MAIN PATHWAY
The CEPSUM currently presents several accessibility barriers. Existing temporary ramps are unsafe, signage is insufficient, and accessible routes are often indirect and isolated. Wheelchair access from the metro is impossible, and the interior walkway connecting the winter stadium and the sports center includes steep slopes that hinder movement.
Our proposal aims to unify all access points through the creation of a gently sloped public plaza (1:30 incline), eliminating any hierarchy between routes. This new space becomes a shared threshold for all users, whether they arrive from the metro, street, parking lot, or gardens. A new elevator is added near the metro stairwell, and the connection between buildings is redesigned to align with the level of the plaza. In summer, retractable exterior walls open to directly connect the plaza to the surrounding gardens. The parking area is adjusted to meet the elevation of the plaza, ensuring an uninterrupted path.
The reception area is relocated next to the main entrance and is served by a new elevator tower, which connects to accessible glazed walkways on all floors. The terraced gardens are reconfigured: three larger platforms are aligned with the walkways, and their expanded surfaces accommodate accessible furniture. While the original stair connections between the garden levels are preserved, offering a preferred option for some users, the primary access is now provided by a continuous, universally accessible path through the glazed corridors and elevator.
Finally, textured and colored tactile paving guides users toward key areas both inside and outside the building. Fruit trees and fragrant flowers enrich the plaza with an olfactory and sensory dimension.
Our proposal seeks to transform this journey into a fluid, unified, and multisensory entry experience, where accessibility becomes the standard, not a secondary accommodation.
(From competitor's text)
The existing public sidewalk is covered, but the proposal remains unclear in its organization. Elevators are in the foreground, followed by long passageways, with the addition of staircases.
(From jury report)
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