Every four years, the city of Olympia hosted athletic competitions in honor of the god Zeus. During this period, time stood still: the city-states declared a truce and wars were suspended. These festivities were known as the Olympic Games. These new activities required new building typologies; architecture was put at the service of sports, a tradition that continues to this day.
For the third edition of the Youth Olympic Games, held in Buenos Aires, architects from across the country participated by creating various spaces. The multidisciplinary team from Galpón Estudio, along with Gruba and Hacelo Sonar, among other professionals, led the creation of Espacio Infancia, which invites visitors to awaken their senses. Running, climbing, walking, pausing, observing, listening, imagining. Learn more about the project in the words of its designers.
For the Youth Olympic Games, held in Buenos Aires in 2018, a series of social, scientific, urban, educational, and cultural activities were organized and themed across four sectors of the city. The cultural and educational sector, located in the Bosques de Palermo, featured "Espacio Infancia," produced by SPA Entertainment and designed by Galpón Estudio: a structure with ramps, multiple entrances, a tunnel, slides, nets, and zip lines. This imposing, industrial-style structure gains volume and color from a mesh wrap printed with the Olympic Games' color palette.
Designed as a highly visible, dynamic, low-tech, and demountable installation (all elements were later reused), the project hosts three simultaneous programs: Movement, Construction, and Sound. The installation itself serves as the space for movement, utilizing ramps and a tunnel, alongside play and skill-based activities for sliding, climbing, and exploring.
Within two self-contained areas and along the path, musical instruments made from discarded materials by Hacelo Sonar are on display: bottles, cans, tubes, wine boxes, reclaimed PET, recycled wood, and even a bicycle wheel. Meanwhile, building blocks designed by Gruba are scattered throughout the surrounding areas of the installation.
A series of lounge chairs and modules scattered across the park serve as rest areas, completing the design.
Concept/design/development: GALPÓN ESTUDIO in co-creation with SPA Entertainment /Learn & Share, UPEJOL
Client: UPEJOL (Learn & Share Area) for the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games
Project: Galpón Estudio (Team: Ramiro Gallardo, Max Zolkwer, Matías Gutiérrez with Jorge Ruiz González, Ignacio Nespral Dias, and Franca Ferraris).
Production: SPA Entertainment (Team: Mariela Speranza, Julieta Calderón, Ignacio Castro, Mariano Botti, Griselda Calderón) UPEJOL (Team: Cielo Salviolo, Silvina Szejnblum, Natalia Fullone, Julieta Lo Duca)
Execution: Hacelo Sonar (Instruments), Gruba (Construction objects), Nuevos Aires Producciones (Structure)
Airoldi (Fabric wrapping), Cabaña - Insaurralde (Metalwork), Grupo Berro (Relaxation Space), Derlis Giménez, Adrián Giménez + Paisa, Fernando, Cristian, Lucas (Painting and assembly).
This article was written by Mariana Etulain. The translation is powered by AI.
