RCR Arquitectes

The demolition of La Lira Theatre left an empty urban space overlooking the Ter river, accompanied by the city wall, visible from one of the streets in the old district. We have resolved this void with the idea of town square in mind, without losing the spirit of the former theatre. The void is turned into a covered square, while the balcony overlooking the river reveals the opposite bank, the gentler side of the watercourse, and the town’s expansion zone. A pedestrian walkway emanates from the square and crosses the river that runs through Ripoll, historically an industrial town.

The project follows the irregular line of the site, occupying the open space behind the wall that contains the river, wrapping it with steel louvers that leave cracks for light, air and vegetation to enter the space itself and the ventilation patios in the row house. They also permit a glazed enclosure on the side that slips down to the walkway. Opaque on one side, it opens on the other side to provide views of the flowing water, 40 meters wide at this point. This enclosure draws visitors into La Lira, now an outdoor space enjoyed by citizens.