Up Slope
The CEPSUM is considered the beating heart of the campus. The 15-meter height difference between the street and the main sports areas, combined with a network of stairs inside and outside of the building, has long compromised accessibility. Our project removes this barrier by eliminating stairs and introducing a continuous path with a maximum slope of 5%. Accessibility becomes a shared, integrated spatial experience, no longer separate or secondary.
Instead of dividing users, the design offers a unified path where everyone can move together, regardless of physical ability. A gently sloping route leads from the street to a new flat plaza, which hosts the main entrance to the Multi-Sports Complex. From there, a ramp connects the second and third floors as well as the outdoor field. Orientation and safety are ensured through clear sightlines, generous widths, and tactile surfaces. The path becomes a social space, encouraging informal encounters and a sense of belonging.
At the core of the proposal lies the new public plaza: a flat, open space for rest, interaction, and gathering. Shaded walkways and planted areas create comfort and identity. More than just circulation, the plaza is a social gesture that transforms the CEPSUM into a place where everyone feels welcome.
(From competitor's text)
The proposal presents very long, covered, pergola-style ramps, with a gentle slope that results in a very long walk. The presentation is considered excellent and easy to understand, with good design principles and a fair approach. However, the route is too winding and not intuitive, which could lead most users to use the elevator rather than the ramp. Additionally, it would be difficult for users of mobility devices to maintain a straight path along a curved ramp. The proposal is playful but not very appropriate to the context, since the layout would not be able to accommodate the traffic of a crowd, due to the removal of the existing staircase to create a ramp.
(From jury report)
5 scanned / 5 viewable
- PDF presentation
- Perspective
- Site Plan
- Axonometric Drawing
- Axonometric Drawing
