America’s Cup Building ‘Veles e Vents’, Valencia, Spain
The America’s Cup Building ‘Veles e Vents’ (Sails and Winds) and accompanying park were the social focal point for the 2007 America’s Cup – the world’s premier offshore racing competition, staged in Europe for the first time in over 150 years. The Louis Vuitton Cup started in April 2007 and the climax, the 32nd America’s Cup match, commenced at the end of June 2007.
The building was completed within 11 months of the competition win in June 2005 and, with the park, successfully opened in time for the preliminary regattas, staged in May and June 2006. The centerpiece of the reorganization of Valencia’s industrial port, ‘Veles e Vents’ provided a central base for all America’s Cup teams and sponsors, as well as being a venue for the public to view the racing.
‘Veles e Vents’ connects directly to a new park, built above 15,000 m2 (160,000 sq ft) of car parking. A ‘tail’ of elevated public spectator decks stretches out from the building into the port, with bars, restaurants, and information points. The decks overlook a newly excavated canal that links the port to the offshore racing courses. To the north, a new 100,000m2 (1,070,000 sq ft) park links the city to the new seafront. The 10,000 m2 (107,000 sq ft), four-floor concrete building is composed of a series of stacked and shifting horizontal planes that provide shade and uninterrupted views extending out to sea.
Cantilevered floor slabs – the largest reaching out 15meters (45 ft) – create the outdoor viewing decks that surround each floor. 60 percent of the building is taken up by outdoor space.
The building’s ground floor acts as the reception area for the VIP facilities and has a canal-facing public restaurant and bar. The first floor is entirely open to the public with retail facilities, a bar, and a generous viewing deck connecting directly to the park via a separate ramp. The second and third floors house the VIP facilities – the ‘Foredeck Club’, a restaurant, a wellness centre, and lounges for the America’s Cup Management, Louis Vuitton, and Consorcio Valencia 2007.
 ‘Veles e Vents’ utilizes a reduced palette of materials – white painted steel trims the edges of the concrete structure, the ceiling is constructed of white metal panels incorporating linear recessed lighting, the external floors are solid Brazilian timber decking, and the internal floors are white resin. Simple, brightly colored furniture offsets the predominant whiteness of the structure, and distinguishes the different areas within the building.
Project's details and credits
 Location: Valencia, Spain
Competition Date: 2005
Completion Date: 2006
Gross Floor Area: 10,000 m2 Foredeck building, 15,000 m2 Parking, 100,000 m2 America’s Cup Park
Client: Consorcio Valencia 2007
Design Architect: David Chipperfield Architects: David Chipperfield, Marco de Battista, Mirja Giebler, Jochen Glemser, Regina Gruber, David Gutman, Melissa Johnston, Andrew Phillips
Associate Architect: b720 Arquitectos – Fermín Vázquez, Antonio Buendía, Peco Mulet, Amparo Casaní, Lorena Lindberg, Magdalena Ostornol, Sebastián Khourian, Juan Aibar, Anna Caffaro, Amaya Celaya, Jordi Cunill, Georg Kayser, Jaime Luaces, Francisco Marques, Andrea Rodríguez, Juan Pablo Porta, Alessandro Zanchetta, Manuel Rivas, Clara Bernadás, Daniel Valdés, Yolanda Roma, Miquel Santos, Francesca Vigano, Christian Koster
Structural Engineer: Building - Boma: Agustín Obiol, Alicia Huguet
Car Park – Grupotec: Javier Abad
Services Engineer: Grupotec: Javier Abad
General Contractor: Ute Foredeck (Acciona, LIC, Rover Alcisa): Javier Ceres
Landscape Consultants: Wirtz International
© Illustrations are courtesy of David Chipperfield Architects.
© Photographs are courtesy of Richards Walsh, Christian Richters , and Duccio Malagamba as indicated.
No reproduction is allowed without their prior consent.
Text and project details provided by David Chipperfield Architects.
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