Frequently Asked Questions

* If you have questions about the competition, questions that arise after reading the summary of the proposals for each site, you can contact us at the email convocatoria@concursorhd.com or through this form. We will answer you as soon as possible. We will also put at your disposal on this page the questions we receive, along with their answers, so that other participants can consult them.

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  • 1. What is the deadline for submitting the required documents? All the documents can be uploaded to the Competition website before February 9th, 2022 at 7:00 pm (Madrid time). The registration platform will be enabled until then. You can also send any query taking into account this deadline.

 

  • 2. Are there any visits organized to the site and buildings on which it is required to work? Yes, to those where there are buildings which can not be entered otherwise and its state of conservation allows it. Several dates are set to visit the site of Zubiri. These dates will be published in the Calendar website. 

 

  • 3. If I am a foreign architect, do I need to associate myself with a Spanish studio to participate? No, it is not necessary.

 

  • 4. What is the maximum number of members of each team? Each team will have a maximum of 4 associate members, who will be considered authors of the project. In addition to this number, each team may have several collaborators, who are not considered coauthors of the project, but it is understood that they have contributed to its realization.

 

  • 5. Can an architecture studio composed of five architects present itself as the author of a project? Yes, an architecture studio can be presented as the author of a project instead of the architects presenting themselves individually. If, on the contrary, the contestants prefer to appear as authors in a personal way, they would have to limit their number to four, which is the maximum number of authors allowed by the competition terms and conditions. The fifth architect would have to appear only as a collaborator.

 

  • 6. Will the proposals be built? The winning projects are intended to be built. And for that purpose, among other criteria, the proposals should meet feasibility in both technical and economic terms. In any case, this competition cannot guarantee their final implementation, which will depend on the local administrations, to whose disposition the winning proposals will remain.

 

  • 7. Regarding the budget, are there any set public prices? There are no official reference prices. In any case, only a very basic estimation of the main budget items is required.

 

  • 8. Is it necessary to have a civil liability insurance to submit a proposal to the competition? It is necessary only in the event of being selected as winner, plus being subsequently appointed to be contracted.
    However, pursuant to article 87 of the LCSP, economic and financial solvency, in the competition phase, shall be accredited by filling in the statement of responsibility in Annex IV “COMMITMENT TO TAKE OUT INSURANCE AGAINST OCCUPATIONAL LIABILITY RISKS”.
    The contractor of any subsequent Service Contract as a consequence of the Procedure negotiated without publicity, must take out an occupational risk insurance policy for an amount of 10% of the Material Execution Budget (PEM) on each of the sites (according to the provisions of section 7 of these Rules).

 

  • 9. Is it necessary to submit a proposal for each lot, or can just one be selected? Each team can send an entry for the lot they prefer, or for more than one if they decide to do so and find it feasible. In this last case, they will have to register independently for each of the lots.

 

  • 10. Is it mandatory for participation in the competition to be registered in the correspondent Architecture Institute and to be a freelancer or have a company? No, neither one nor the other is necessary to participate.

 

  • 11. If there is an error in the drafting or submission of any personal documents, will we be notified to correct them? Yes, in case any of the documents presented are wrong and you are selected by the jury, there is a correction period before receiving the prizes.

 

  • 12. Do the personal documents have to be electronically signed or can they be hand signed and scanned? The personal information requested must be submitted in PDF format with electronic signature in the case of Spanish teams. Foreign teams can hand sign and scan them.

 

  • 13. Are you going to provide us with more documentation of the four areas of action? No, all the available documentation is already on the website and can be downloaded by the contestants. There is no additional information.

 

  • 14. Should we keep within the estimated value of the possible later procurement of the service contract specified in section seven of the Competition’s Terms and Conditions? The data related to the possible subsequent procurement of the service contract are only a preliminary non-binding estimation of the possible public investment to be made within the set of possible financing required for the execution of the project. Therefore, in this respect, only the indications of the Technical Specifications must be followed to develop the proposals.

 

 

  • 16. Is it sufficient to sign the agreement in Annex 4 to justify the economic solvency or is any other proof required? It is only necessary to sign Annex 4, whereby you undertake to take out Professional Liability Insurance for professional risks in the event that the project is the winner and, furthermore, the awardee of the subsequent contract.

 

  • 17. In what language should proposals be submitted? Proposals may be submitted in Spanish or English.

  • B1. Does the need to “respect the conditions of independent building unit for each of the plots” derived from the Ordinances for the Conservation of the Historic Center, only affect a distinction in the external volumetry of the buildings, or must each of the plots also be an independent building and not connected to the adjacent ones in its interior distribution? The mentioned “conditions of independent building unit for each of the plots” refer only to the volumetric conditions of the proposed buildings. The interior distribution of the buildings does not necessarily have to be independent: it is possible to act freely according to what is considered more convenient in each proposal.

 

  • B2. Does the stable known as Cuadrón, next to the wall, fall within the scope of the proposal? The stable known as Cuadrón is within the scope of the proposal and should be preserved. The proposal should include this element and to what purpose it should be used.

 

  • B3. Bearing in mind that, except in the case of the stable known as Cuadrón, practically nothing remains of the original buildings except the start of the walls, should these be preserved, or is it possible to consider their demolition? Similarly, to what extent is it necessary to preserve the ruins of the stable known as Cuadrón? The demolition of the starting point of the walls can be considered as long as what is built in its place maintains the original alignments and layouts of the buildings. With respect to the stable known as Cuadrón, its good state of preservation, except for the roof, makes its restoration advisable.

 

  • B4. Regarding the interventions allowed in Buitrago, it is stated in the specifications that “Accordingly, proposals should comply with the subsidiary rules for urban land provided in the Bylaw for Preservation of the Historic Town Centre, grade Cr (Refurbishment)”. Can you provide us with more information on this ordinance? The nomenclature “Cr” comes from the 1991 Ordinance for the Conservation of the Historic Center, which contemplates two degrees of protection: C and Cr (refurbishment), the latter being the one applicable to the area that is the object of the competition. This degree of protection implies that the types of actions that can be carried out are the following:
    1. Maintenance
    2. Consolidation
    3. Recovery
    4. Refurbishment
    5. Restructuring
    6. Expansion up to the limit of the building capacities and other development conditions established in this zone.
    7. Partial demolition aimed at recovery, conditioning or restructuring.

    When the application of these types of works is not possible due to the fact that the buildings are in ruins, the following types of works will be allowed:
    8. Total demolition aimed at recovery

    In this case, the new building will be built according to the traces of the existing building, and in accordance with the pre-existing typological and volumetric references. Efforts will also be made to reuse the pre-existing roofing materials, ironwork and stonework.

 

  • B5. It has been found that the space that exists between the area of intervention and the castle also has a recovery plan. Is it possible to know what will be the use of this space and if there may be synergies between this and the area of intervention? The current intervention that is located between the area of the competition and the castle is an industrial complex of the 17th and the 18th century that included “as naves del Esquileo y del Bache”, where sheep were grouped and sheared. Both buildings will be recovered as rural lodging, maintaining the original volumetry, with a non-symmetrical section. It is not possible to have access to plans, elevations and sections because it is a private project. Relationships can be established between the scope of the competition and this ongoing intervention, if deemed appropriate in the proposal.

 

  • B6. Are guided tours of the Buitrago site going to be carried out? No, guided tours of the site have not been planned, since the entire area is accessible and can be visited freely.

 

  • B7. There were originally three buildings in the area: the stable known as Cuadrón, the Archpriest’s house (with a central courtyard) and the corner building. Taking this into account, should the volumetry of each of the buildings be reproduced, including the gable roofs, heights and original footprint of the buildings? In the new buildings, the original alignments must be respected, although the interior distribution of the buildings does not necessarily have to be independent: it is possible to act freely according to what is considered more convenient in each proposal. With regard to the characteristics of the roofs and heights, the indications of the Particular Technical Specifications document must be followed.

 

  • B8. Should the border of the plots to the east (which adjoin another privately owned plot) be considered as dividing walls or, on the contrary, as facades with respect to which some distance must be maintained? On the eastern boundary of the plots there is a single building, in the process of renovation, which has a dividing wall facing the area of intervention.

 

  • B9. Regarding the indicated maximum height of the cornice of 6 metres, should this measurement be taken from a reference point located in the middle of each of the plots, or considering the total length of the built-up area? According to the general building regulations of Buitrago, the maximum height will be measured from the level of the road corresponding to the official alignment of each plot at the midpoint of its front, up to the cornice line.

 

  • B10. Should the alignment of the stone wall delimiting the change in height in the apse area of the church be respected? The retaining wall can be modified if necessary, but it should be noted that any intervention at this point will require archaeological supervision.
  • V1. Is it possible to work beyond the proposed intervention area? Although the boundaries of the plots can be treated, the proposals must respect the area of intervention defined in the Particular Technical Specifications document.

 

  • V2. Is it possible to obtain the virtual tour file in .rcp format in order to work with it? Yes, it can be downloaded through this link.

 

  • V3. Is it possible to enlarge the buildings to accommodate all the required uses and spaces? Are the building facades protected and must all openings be respected, or can new openings be opened as long as they are of vertical configuration? The requested spaces that have been indicated in the Particular Technical Specifications document are approximate, and must be adapted to the existing buildable area. New buildings must not be constructed -neither enlarging the existing buildings, which are already of sufficient size- but the orchards and gardens may be rearranged by erecting auxiliary constructions such as porches, pergolas or enclosing walls, among others. With respect to the façade openings, these should be respected as far as possible, although some may be opened and closed as long as the proposal justifies it, the values of the building are respected and the vertical proportion of the same is maintained.

 

  • V4. Is it possible to build outside the intervention limits? The limits of the intervention area may be treated, but it is not possible to build outside them.

 

  • V5. Is it possible to create arcades on the proposed buildings? In principle this is not possible, as it would imply the removal of the existing stone walls and doorways on the ground floor.

 

  • V6. Is it possible to increase the number of storeys of the buildings or/and excavate basements, or must the content of the proposal be restricted to the built limits? Buildings may not be extended in height, although auxiliary constructions such as porches, pergolas or enclosure walls, among others, are permitted in the free areas of the plot. It is possible to excavate basements, provided that the corresponding archaeological supervision is carried out.

 

  • V7. Can the two plots be unified into one? Can a common communication element be included for the two buildings? It is possible to unify the two buildings internally, so that the programme is distributed in both of them. Volumetrically and structurally, however, both buildings must maintain their autonomy.

 

  • Z1. Is a visit to the Zubiri site planned? Yes. The site can be visited until December 19, from Thursday to Sunday, from 9:00 to 16:00, by appointment. To request a visit it is necessary to send an e-mail to the Council of Zubiri: concejodezubiri@gmail.com and provide a contact telephone number.

 

  • Z2. What is the exact area of intervention, and is there a recommended location for the auxiliary building? The delimitation of the intervention area is approximate, since it is public land. In any case, the image of the area shown on the sixth page of the Particular Technical Specifications should be taken as a reference. It is important, however, that the existing vegetable gardens are respected and that the new building is located in the area around the crossroads, to the southwest of the existing building, defining a square.

 

  • Z3. The Particular Technical Specifications state the following:  “the refurbishment and restoration of the hospital building should maintain all unique architectural, built or historical elements as they were originally”. To what extent are the interior features part of the historical elements? Is there further information on which internal architectural features may be adapted or removed, and what must be left in place or restored? Each team must judge which elements should be respected because of their values. There is no specific definition of those values or additional information on the interior of these buildings to that already included in the Particular Technical Specifications.