A ruff is “a projecting starched frill worn round the neck”.
A traffic circle as the solution to an intersection full of traffic problems, in an urban area within the core of the town, opposite the Town Hall.
A traffic circle is a series of geometric relationships between two circles and a vehicle’s turn radius. In our case, that of the inter-urban bus established the outer limit. Carving the resulting circumference into the setting allows us to tip the scales of the project towards pedestrians.
As surprising as it may seem, a road solution has led to a better-quality community space. The pavements were widened as much as possible, emphasising the continuity of walking paths, re-planting tree lines and building a pleasant centrality.
The aim is always for the solution to be part of the place, to feel like it fits in to daily life and needs no other languages. From here came the routes, materials, separations, recycling of urban elements, tree species…
The interior of the traffic circle is called a ruff. A reference to its distinctive delicacy, made geometric and systematic as an industrial piece for the public road but laid simply on a carpet in the middle of the intersection. For us, a subtle monument to functionality.
| Start Date | 08/11/2013 |
| End Date | 11/03/2016 |
| Title | Ruff Traffic Circle Ripollet |
| Mission | Contest, Pre-project, Preliminary project, Executive project, Site management |
| Typology | Urban development |
| Location | Ripollet, Barcelona |
| Area | 1,531 m2 |
| Developers | AMB, Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona, Ajuntament de Ripollet |
| Budget | 189,931.20 € (PEM) |
| Architects | Eva Serrats, Francesc Pla |
| Collaborators | Adrianna Mas (protect), Amadeu Abril, Josep Peraire, Javier Meliz (surveyor), Tdi enginyers, LAMP (lighting). |
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