La Fresneda, Province of Teruel
The proposal from La Fresneda for the slopes of the hill surmounted by the village’s castle, today a run-down area, was noted by the competition jury for the interest of the multiple aspects addressed: the arrangement of volumes, the treatment of road access, landscaping aspects, the creation of a community vegetable garden, and the development of a house for public rental in keeping with local tradition and which may become a reference for future buildings in the area. On the basis of the extant remains, the volumes of the buildable lots are to be rearranged and roads laid out as required to revitalize the area, both for residential use and to promote the village’s rich heritage through an itinerary focused on the church, the castle, and the old cemetery. The aim is to restore the physiognomy of this part of the hill with the intention that local people should once again value the area not just as a site for tourism and recreation but also as a place for living in.
The place
La Fresneda is a municipality in the district of Matarraña in Teruel province, Aragón. It has a population of about 450 inhabitants according to the latest census and is some 600 m above sea level, in mountains near the river Matarraña. It is noted for its historical and architectural heritage and the village center has been designated a historic and artistic ensemble on account of such monumental buildings as the church of Santa María la Mayor, the Renaissance town hall, and the remains of a Calatravan castle.
Historically, La Fresneda was a major site for the Order of Calatrava, and its urban structure reflects this legacy. Although its population has declined over the last century, its economy has been boosted by rural tourism and the agri-food sector, consolidating it as a major destination in the tourist circuits of the Matarraña district.
Gallery of images
Intervention proposal
Regeneration of the Castle Hill and Environs
The proposal aims to holistically restore the older and more run-down part of La Fresneda on the hillside below the castle. On the basis of the historic remains at ground level, the idea is to rearrange the volumes of the buildable plots and redefine the necessary public spaces, and to erect a new building that may serve as a model for the future restoration of this district with new structures with a view to keeping La Fresneda’s character and construction tradition alive.
The municipal proposal is also intended to lay the ground for a future special urban improvement plan which the town council will seek to develop on the basis of the winning competition entry. In this context, particular technical aspects to be addressed include the integration of a water reservoir into this setting and a selection of solutions for street paving, all with designs and techniques in keeping with the area’s building tradition.
The aim is to improve accessibility and internal circulation so as to promote residential use and also heritage tourism. Thus proposals should seek to create circuits connecting points of tourist and community interest such as the parish church, the castle, and the old cemetery.
The landscaping should include low-maintenance native plant species, and a space for the creation of a community vegetable garden conceived as a locus of neighborhood interaction.
As to the new building to be designed, this will be a house for rental to young people, which may include a small visitor reception center on the ground floor. A plot has been designated for the purpose by the sacristy of the church of Santa María, where there is a building in ruins. The dwelling should be conceived as a model for future urban development in the area, recovering and refreshing the region’s traditional construction systems and architectural types.
The general aim of the work is to help regenerate this part of the historic village, recover its original identity, and promote its use not just as a tourist and recreational area but also as an attractive place for everyday municipal life. A holistic solution should be offered, allowing the urban uses and spaces to be reorganized while fostering the preservation and promotion of their existing architectural and cultural heritage.