architecture
International
Connection
Feature: Olivia Jenson. Photography: Amer Sweidan and Al-Mukhtar Zeyad
The upgraded Spanish
embassy adds a distinct
new façade to the
cityscape of Amman.
C
ontinuing positive relations between
Spain and Jordan since our Kingdom
was founded as well as the long
history of cultural exchange between the
Middle East and the Iberian Peninsula,
Spain has expanded its consulate in
Amman into a larger embassy.
Situated on Zahran Street between Fourth
and Fifth Circle, the new building catches
the eye with its distinctive mesh façade and
floating stone veneers. Spanish architect
José Ramón Gámez Guardiola envisioned
the design. An architecture professor in
Madrid, Ramón also operates his own firm,
which he started in 1991, and primarily
focusses on restoring heritage buildings in
Spain.
The embassy project in Jordan was the
architect’s first international venture,
though he has participated on juries in
South America. With the Amman embassy
completed, his subsequent on-going
project is restoring the Spanish embassy in
Havana, Cuba.
Architect José Ramón Gámez Guardiola
The inspiration for the Amman embassy
was drawn in part from the etched façades
and caverns of Petra. “The concept for the
design was to carve out a space inside a
large stone and make a place for people
to live and work,” explains Ramón. He
fixed the stone veneers to the exterior of
the building, mimicking a stone shell and
continued the theme indoors with the
extensive use of concrete.
To counter the roughness of the stone,
Ramón blended cosier elements throughout
the open floor plan inside with wooden
stairs, whitewashed metal railings and
carpeted areas. “I decided to make a softer
environment for the people working in the
building,” says the architect. “The most
important element of design is the relation
between different spaces inside, and to
imagine people using the space. For me,
the façade is anecdotal. I know it is very
74
The outside of the building employs indigenous stone on a mesh frame
I
❝
think of
architecture as a
process, like life is
a process. It’s not
an object and I like
its flexibility
❞
important for people looking at the building,
but for the people living their everyday lives
inside, the interior is more important.”
The idea for the mesh façade of the building
derived from the emphasis on privacy found
in Moorish architecture in southern Spain.
With the mesh frame, those inside can see
out but from the outside it is difficult to
see inside. “The metal material is different
from the rest of the building; I considered
other options, but metal was the best,”
shares Ramón. “For me, metal is a mystical
element and I thought of the importance of
metals throughout the history, especially
gold. So I decided to combine the metal and
stone together.”
Natural wood was used inside to contrast with the stone
Greenery is injected into the space
throughout the landscaped compound and
rooftop gardens. “The aim was to make
spaces in this building where you can
open a door and be among flowers. And I
think it’s nice that the garden and trees of
this building connect with the surrounding
trees of the city.” In addition to the gardens
in the courtyard, the embassy also contains
a rooftop terrace within its mesh exterior
to catch fresh air and take in a view of the
cityscape.
When constructing the new building,
one primary challenge was having to
move the main entrance of the embassy
and rethinking the design. When Ramón
constructed the initial plans, the embassy
opened onto Zahran Street, which is how
the building is still oriented. However,
due to issues with traffic and security, the
functioning entrance was relocated to the
side street.
The interior follows an open floor plan
“I think of architecture as a process like life
is a process. It’s not an object and I like its
flexibility,” says Ramón, discussing how a
city is not static. “For me, a building is not a
completely finished element. It’s constantly
changing. A building is to be lived in and
maybe in the future it will change into
another building; this process is very
interesting to me.”
The concrete inside connected the interior spaces with the stone on the façade
77