Almadraba Hotel

The fishermen village of Sancti petri in the South of Cadiz once was a lively domestic area with full of accommodation that supports fishermen’s life as a fishery community before it was abandoned in almost 30 years ago.

From the marshy land of salt extraction farm, the peninsula gradually developed to fisherman village. It was once well known as tuna fishing village. Due to the route of tuna migration which pass along this peninsula, fishermen who lived in this area will spend 6 months for tuna fishing in the migrating season with Aldramaba process. The Aldramaba fishing principle usesIt’s a huge net labyrinth sinking under the water as a trap waiting for tuna getting inside last chamber. A complex and labyrinthine net system that sinks more than 30 meters deep for 6 months of the year which only two months are used to catch the tuna, coinciding with the migration period of the tuna from the cold Atlantic Ocean waters to the warmer waters of the Mediterranean Sea. It is funnel-shaped and located on the migratory path of the Bluefin tuna, usually near the coast and then pulled up by hand (La Levantá) so the fish come to the surface where they can be selected according to size and the rest are then returned to the Sea. The process is mostly spent time on assembling and disassembling the net structure.

After the military came to rule that area and forced all inhabitants out. Numbers of the buildings were demolished then the village became fully abandoned. However, several years ago the municipal pressured the military to restore the usage of this village back again. The area was recreated by gradually adding some new functions, for example yacht club, water sport area, while also recover fishing uses that cause some buildings be used once again.

After recreate village, a lot of tourists come to this area for both sightseeing and water sport activities. The part that is mainly used by visitors is the beachfront on the lower part of the peninsula, which is an area of water sport club, and restaurants on the seaside. Some also come to visit this area for Almadraba visit in the fishing season. These are the potential of the site area that can be developed and designed to be the area for tourist attraction.

Accordingly, the architecture design proposal comes up to an idea of Almadraba hotel. It will be temporary architecture built up in the period of Almadraba and provided for visitors who come to see the Almadraba process. The temporary architecture is composed of flexible columns, platforms and net that is aimed for being assembled in the fishing season and disposed at the end of season.

Visitor will access the hotel by taking the boat from fisherman village. The sequence of the space is designed parallel to the route of fish that getting into the trap. From entrance to rest area then getting to the last trap, visitors will see the route of fish through the net floor and La Levanta process at the end of the structure.

Firstly, guests will get to the entrance platform which provide the reception, lobby, and service room, and also can access to the pool from here. Connected to the entrance lobby is room area. 3x3 m. rooms are spread in 2 floors with 4 shared-bathrooms. And the last zone of the hotel is the restaurant area which is the 2 floors area for taking views. Especially, at the end of the hotel provide the deck and terrace for La Levanta observation for the visitors.