Irurita, Province of Navarre

The proposed refurbishment of Plaza de Rebote and its environs was selected by the competition jury in view of the significance of this space within the urban ensemble. It is an indispensable venue for the local community given its configuration and the activities that it hosts. Thus particular value was attached to the positive impact that its embellishment and enhancement, together with the rehabilitation of the adjoining Casa Dolantxea, might have on the village overall.

It is proposed that the square be rearranged so as to give priority to community and sports uses and to improve pedestrian accessibility. Other aspects such as the state of the paving and of the frontis wall should also be addressed, as well as, if possible, a treatment of the surrounding buildings, as most of them have lost their original plastering and their facades are strung with cables which it would be advisable to run underground. The proposal lays particular emphasis on the house known as Dolantxea, on the northeast side of the square, now in a state of ruin and in the process of being compulsorily purchased by the Baztán town council. It is proposed that the house be turned into a visitor center for the sport that is played in front of it, as a vantage point and a didactic, recreational, and cultural venue, also making use of the adjoining garden, which is likewise derelict.

The place

Irurita is a village in the region of Navarra within the municipality of Baztán, located in the valley of the same name, in the Pamplona district. At an altitude of 214 m and 55 km from Pamplona (the regional capital), it is surrounded by the localities of Elizondo, Lecároz, Garzáin, and Arráyoz. With a stable population of some 800 inhabitants, it is the second-most populous village of the Baztán valley.

Irurita is set in a landscape of gentle mountainsides and large expanses of ferns, pasture, and beech and oak woods, forming a diverse and dynamic ecosystem. Within what is known as the “humid Navarra,” its territory is traversed by paths, streams, and mountains, dotted with traditional shepherds’ cottages and farmsteads. The age-old interaction between humanity and the environment has generated a singular cultural landscape that has withstood historical and economic transformations and retained its identity in harmony with its natural setting.

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Intervention proposal

Restoration of Plaza de Rebote and Casa Dolantxea

Plaza de Rebote is a key venue for the local community in view of its configuration and the activities that it hosts. Accordingly, given its current situation, it is proposed that the square be rearranged so as to give priority to community and sports uses, and to limit the presence of vehicles.

Vehicle parking and constant traffic, as the square is also the meeting point of several streets, often impedes the use of the pelota court. The space therefore needs to be rearranged so as to give priority to its original use, rearticulate the streets, and improve pedestrian accessibility, especially between the square and the indoor pelota court. Moreover, its surfacing, a mix of asphalt and paving stones, has been damaged by traffic and a lack of maintenance and should therefore be restored or replaced.

The masonry of both the back and front of the frontis wall (i.e. the back wall for pelota) has also lost its mortar pointing and been encroached upon by vegetation, making it advisable for the stonework to be thoroughly cleaned and for the rear elevation to be repointed or limewashed. The metal netting should also be replaced. The stone benches at the edge of the plaza are also dilapidated in various sections, and accordingly require structural preservation work.

As to the buildings bordering the square, the lime render on some of the facades has been lost and in some cases replaced with cement and emulsion paint. The old in) and the Erreboteko Etxea house are reasonably well preserved. But one of the facades of the inn, of which the municipality is co-owner, is dilapidated, though visible traces of the original finish remain. Accordingly the proposal should include, where possible, a restoration of the traditional renders of the buildings adjoining the plaza. It would also be advisable for the proposal to include the removal and burial of the cables strung along the facades.

In all events, proposals should place particular emphasis on the house known as Dolantxea, on the northeast side of the square. It is currently a ruin and in the process of being compulsorily purchased by Baztán town council. Although the exterior walls are in relatively good condition, the roof is disintegrating and the interior floors are partially ruined. The building is therefore inaccessible and consequently no detailed survey of what remains in the interior has been made, though this can be inferred from its volume and fenestration. All that is marked on the plan supplied to entrants is the approximate position of the interior stairs, as a reference for its inner layout.The house has a small adjoining garden, also in an advanced state of deterioratio).

It is proposed that this ruined building be turned into a visitor center for the sport that is played in front of it, as a vantage point and a didactic, recreational, and cultural venue, while also making use of the adjoining garden, which is likewise derelict.