Jorba's Castle

PHASE 2 (2019-2020):

The project responds to phase two of the Master Plan for Jorba Castle, drawn up in 2015, continuing the recovery of the approach to the site via the northern slope of Puig de la Guàrdia. Earthworks during the archaeological excavation revealed buried structures that offered a better understanding of the castle complex and aroused interest in continuing the project. The excavation process revealed the structure of a small twelfth-century chapel of 60 m2, comprising three four-metre-high walls with a series of decorative elements that date from the sixteenth century. This discovery brings a new approach to the project, proposing a landscape itinerary through the first two phases of the castle’s history and ending inside the chapel.

The project addresses this discovery and proposed covering the space to keep it dry and allow future archaeological work. The roof takes the form of a lightweight laminated timber structure that respects the passage of history, with facings of polycarbonate sheet to enhance natural lighting. Difficult access and the irregular geometry of the walls make it impossible to work with prefabricated elements, leading to the choice of a lightweight construction system built on site. All the material excavated in the archaeological dig was reused. The stones go to form a cyclopean concrete wall that retains the earth of the upper terrace and guarantees the stability of the whole. Different sizes of stones and lime mortar with variable proportions of sand were uses to create textures that differ from the original wall, offering a reading by contrast.

Text provided by the architect.