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“The present moment has no other foundation than its kinship with the past.” (Juan José Saer, The Witness)

If -as Saer says- the present moment has no other foundation than its kinship with the past, it is natural to understand that the actions of the present carry within them the responsibility of becoming the foundations of the future.

Starting from a detailed analysis of the site’s conditions, its history, the state of what exists, and the desired character for the new building, each of the project’s specific decisions has gradually been reached through a process of continuous verification of the relationships between what already exists, the new uses, and their final synergy.

In the city, we all share the streets, squares, sidewalks, and façades that shape public space and collective memory. The proposal prioritizes this aspect of architectural heritage and, at an urban level, puts forward the recovery of the old boulevard with a central median that once surrounded the square, along with the enhancement of all the historic façades facing it, restoring them to their original state, organizing lighting, cables, vegetation, and street furniture, and mitigating the visual impact of commercial use and signage. Along Belgrano and San Martín streets, a cobblestone “shared street” pavement emphasizes their character as commercial promenades with reduced vehicular speed, consolidating a cultural urban circuit together with the Police Headquarters building and the Old Market.

The main intervention on the Grand Stores building consists of fully restoring its characteristic arcade and both façades, which, together with the adjacent former Residence and Museum, will reconstitute the original historic urban frontage along the square and its side streets. Once its original urban identity has been restored, the symbolic value of the store’s façade, together with the sidewalk, the boulevard, the square, the neighboring buildings, and the houses across the street, will reestablish the relationships that once connected them, allowing the dialogue between them to be reborn.

The new project will be that bridge which, by valuing and reinterpreting the past, builds the best possible future for this important corner of Rafaela.