The Tower of San Miguel is located within the Natural Park of Cabo de Gata – Níjar, an area of great environmental wealth, which attracts visitors throughout the year for the enjoyment of its landscapes and beaches.

Built in the 18th century, it has undergone several modifications, each intervention has left its mark, layer by layer, until today.

Our solution seeks to link with the history of the Tower by adding a new layer, that adapts it to the present day by adding uses that increase its cultural and social value. For this a new volume is built, attached to the perimeter wall but separated from the Tower by a circular courtyard that surrounds it. The result is a classical figure, which suggests the space surrounding the temple of San Pietro in Montorio (Rome). An element of rigorous geometry whose layout recalls an element of the art of fortification of the time when the tower was built, the hornwork. A reduced space is created whose only purpose is the contemplation of the central element. The interior of the same one is maintained in its current configuration, being able to be used like exhibition space.

The programme consists of a tourist office (in the tower), a space for interpreting Cabo de Gata, toilets, storage and installations.

The use of the tourist office was decided to be located in the new building, as well as the spaces for divulgation and rest, partially air-conditioned. It is built with simple materials and finishes (ceramic floor, load-bearing walls and painted ceramic tile) to contain its cost.

The courtyard is the contemplation space par excellence, as it does not compete visually with the tower. The closing opens on the longitudinal sides to gently introduce the visitor into the project and give the possibility of observing the entrance to the tower from outside the enclosure.

The action on the environment will be characterized by the use of soft materials that will demarcate protected areas and separate the flows of access to the Tower. A staking solution will delimit the dunes to prevent the deterioration of their flora. A circle of autochthonous vegetation will separate the tower from the road traffic. A signpost with luminaires will indicate the path used by pedestrians, who may come from the nearby town’s promenade, and cyclists. The land will be consolidated in the areas of transit of road traffic with contributions of aggregates type macadam. The parking lot will be marked and reinforced with a lattice pavement that blurs the impact of the concrete pieces on the current floor.