Patrimonio e Innovación en la Arquitectura Universitaria de la Ciudad de Alcalá

Resumen

The architectural heritage of the University of Alcalá is a unique case of study. Its con-ception, development, and implementation, as well as the academic concepts and poli-cies that determined its architectural model are the result of a complex balance between conservation-restoration, contemporary intervention, and new architecture. The works undergone by the University of Alcalá are not easy to catalog and although many of them weren ́t successful either, they make up a unique architectural corpus, embedded both within the historical fabric of the city (city campus), and beyond (scientific and technological campus). The combination of both operations and their volume and scale have produced a series of university architectural interventions unparalleled in the re-cent Spanish educational scene. This article develops a critical review of them, in the context of a change of paradigm due to continuous economic and social crises.