Mateo Arquitectura

Project for the official residence of the Spanish Embassy in Australia (Canberra)

Competition 2008-2010

We were familiar with Canberra because of its exceptional urban layout. The new capital with its centres of power set in a circle radiates the streets outwards from the centre.
Our site forms part of this system of lines and curves. We therefore envisioned the new official residence with a layout in the form of a countercurve that dialogues with the sequence of rings organizing the map of the city.
The new residence formalizes the façade to the exterior and divides the site into two areas: one is more private and representative, and the other, to the rear, is more closely related with the everyday activities of the embassy.
The building comprises a continuous lightweight roof that is set down on the site, establishing an interrelation with the movement of the topography and forming a single figure.
In our memories, Australia is wide open spaces and wild nature. The garden will therefore use local vegetation in domestic form.

Josep Lluís Mateo, 2008