Antonio Bonet. Esplanades and patios

Identifier:  imarina:9262252

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/imarina9262252

Authors:  García JFR; Magaña JRD

Abstract:
Patios have been used since ancient times as an architectural principle for resolving the form of houses. Their range of possibilities is also incorporated into the imaginary of modern architecture. Patios are traditionally characterized as enclosures that open upwards towards the sky and where the rooms of a house come together. They are a formidable element of architectural order. In the work of Antonio Bonet Castellana (Barcelona, 1913-1989), the patio incorporates multiple registers. As we shall see, Bonet occasionally shifts the patio to the perimeter of the building to enhance the ritual pathway for accessing the building, conceal and protect the interior from the exterior, and open the house up to the landscape. On a higher scale are 'esplanades,' which, according to Bonet, should be understood as small squares or access patios for welcoming visitors. Esplanades which are associated with platforms, porches or walls, on the other hand, are conceived as vantage points for surveying the landscape. The ambiguity and freedom associated with patios and esplanades resolve the publicprivate dichotomy without either element losing its identity. The aim of this article is to uncover new possibilities Bonet explored when incorporating patios and esplanades into a selection of his domestic constructions.