The viewing point of Farrapona or of the valley of Saliencia, in the Somiedo Natural Park, is part of a series of projects seeking to give importance to the ethnographic elements and the landscaping and geological points of interest of the zone. The Asturian firm led by José Ramón Puerto Álvarez and Ángeles Sánchez Sánchez won the public competition to build a lookout through a scheme that focused on accessibility, integration with the environs, sustainability, and educational capacity.

The location and the shape of the facility eases access – in a natural mountainous environment – for people with limited mobility. The bow scheme gives 360-degree panoramas of the valley. Core-ten steel was chosen because of its resistance to the elements, in an area where winter temperatures drop to as low as 20 degrees Celsius below zero and snow accumulates as much as a meter. The choice of material is also a nod to the nearby Santa Rita iron mine, which was in operation from 1805 to 1978.

The inverted pyramid formed by four pillars holds up the elliptical stretch of the construction, minimizing contact with the ground. The horizontal structure is formed by a hollow edge beam, to which a series of brackets are welded on both sides, allowing the support of the pavement and handrails. The protective enclosure, with vertical plates set 10 centimeters apart between axes, provides transparency and a sculptural look. The perforated tear plate ensures good water drainage.

Exceot for the foundation and retaining walls, the rest of the elements were made in a specialized workshop. Nine independent pieces were moved to the chosen site, without need for special transport.

Photos courtesy of Puerto & Sánchez Arquitectos