The Lovers Square in Teruel

The “Lovers Square” in Teruel is located in a place previously occupied by the urban fabric that was destroyed during the Civil War. An empty space was left in its place, remodelled as a square in the 1970s, which at the time of the new intervention was completely deteriorated. It was a very small space with a pronounced height difference presided over by the tower of San Pedro, now isolated on one side but which in another time was surrounded by houses, like other towers in Teruel. 

With the new design, a place has been created presided over by a monumental fountain and a staircase that solves the problem of the different elevations of the square. The staircase has a strong presence, as befits an urban staircase, and is a fundamental element in the design. Its layout allows the route to be followed from the square itself to calle Matías Abad where the San Pedro tower is located. Both the design of its structure as well as the steps and balustrade reflect its representative character. The design of the structure, which rests on a single "V" pillar and serves as a support for the staircase and the terrace, is also important in this respect.  

The idea is that the different elements that make up the square are expressed through a specific texture. In this way, a relationship is established with the different textures of the San Pedro tower, which range from the roughness of the brick to the brilliance of the Mudejar ceramics. The construction of the terrace and the single support pillar is therefore left in exposed concrete with slatted formwork, while the front of the fountain is made of washed concrete, thereby harmonising with the rough brick of the tower to which it serves as a base. The paving of the terrace and the steps are made of Calatorao stone and the benches and balusters are made of Teruel travertine. The vertical backdrop of the fountain is ceramic, the colours of which are related to the Mudejar ceramic elements of the tower. The geometry of the paving of the square facilitates the collection of the waters that converge in the centre through a large, specially designed stone drain. The lighting was another of the most worked themes f the project. Efforts have been made to avoid visible elements as much as possible and have almost always focused on an indirect light emerging from the staircase, the fountain and the ceiling below the terrace.