The competition Europan 16 – Living Cities, for a site in Almendralejo, was won by Sergio Sañudo, Martina Almela, Daniel Cueto, Álvaro Fernández, Marina Fernández, and José Luis Ramos of the firm Monochrome, with a project titled ‘La increíble historia del temporero que encontró en Almendralejo su hogar.’

This municipality has a migrant population, during the fruit-picking months, that oscillates between 7,000 and 9,000. With the aim of creating bonds between locals and seasonal workers, a complex in poor condition will be refurbished. Located in the slum of San José, the Marquis’s Apartments, as they are called, are 160 social-housing units distributed in 18 blocks.

The architectural solution involves creating a unifying city block that includes public and semi-public services. Ground-level dwellings in poor state are removed and replaced by stores and public facilities. Elevators are incorporated and a structure is annexed to expand living space, form terraces, and improve energy efficiency. On the urban side, the project seeks to regulate traffic, create green corridors, and revive the area's lost industrial identity, including brick 

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