More than an elevator, the “Halo” proposal is a tribute to the horizon. A ring of light visible from multiple points in the city, an advertisement and a landmark. A sculpture of pure lines, the union of engineering, architecture and art.
“Halo” is an answer to the right questions, and the questions were clear: can we intervene without blocking the views of the central atrium of the new intermodal station? Can we create an elevated walkway as an extension of the public square, like a belvedere, without disturbing the vision of its users? Is it necessary for people who live near the walkway to lose part of their privacy? And finally, can all these questions be resolved with a single gesture, a greeting to the visitor? What happens below it, and with zero consumption?
Once the pertinent questions have been raised, the answer is simple, yes. Serafín Avendaño Street is a dead end, with no way out at present. Logic calls for restricted access to residents and a single platform with the elimination of surface parking spaces. In this way, the environment is returned to the citizens and a kind of “pedestrian carpet” is created that will be the yellow brick road to the base of the elevator tower. Once there, the tower itself is submerged in the ground and anchored to it, embracing the users and giving them protection from the elements.
