The challenge of designing this complex appealed to us instantly due to Garcia's emblematic cultural status, particularly in his native Spain, and the conceptual possibilities this entailed. Our response was to create a translucent building; an ambiguous structure which reveals mere glimpses of what takes place inside, and inspires the onlooker to explore the mysterious space within. Like a precious gem embedded in the heart of the city, the centre glows with confidence at the end of the Piazza de la Romanilla, a temple of homage to its namesake. The dynamic atrium expands as a route bisecting the site, opening up a vast upward vista whilst spatially segregating the building's various functions.

These consist of an auditorium, an archive for Lorca's work and an education centre containing dance, theatre and photography studios. The central route throws open the densely packed building, taking its theme of open, airy space from the expansive historical piazza at its doors. This introduction of light and movement resolves the problem of the concurrent circulation routes required for the auditorium and the rest of the building. Our pathway spirals up through the atrium, leading the visitor through each of the centre's important spaces until finally we finally reach the roof #8220; a place to contemplate the world passing by beneath; a place to think and rest, which the great Lorca himself would have rejoiced in.