Understanding the pioneering techniques in reinforced concrete: The case of Punta Begoña Galleries, Getxo, Spain

This paper presents a methodological approach for the study of the early historical buildings constructed in reinforced concrete at the beginning of the 20th century. These buildings were conceived following different patents that, already in origin, made them unique and diverse. Also, the structures had to be adapted to their constructive context. Nowadays, aiming to evaluate and recuperate these buildings is necessary to develop a sequence of systematic study, which combines a historical review of the construction, its architectural characterization, its geometrical definition and its geological context. In this transdisciplinary approach, the geophysical studies based on ground-penetrating radar, as a non-destructive technique, facilitate the recognition of building structural details. The proposed working-approach attends to understand the construction (WHAT?) from its first designs to its final execution, including the characterization of current alterations. This requires the symbiosis of different disciplines (HOW?) that will be the basis for new projects aimed at the re-functionalization of buildings (WHAT FOR?), respecting their original values. The application of the methodology in Punta Begoña Galleries (Getxo, Basque Country, Spain) allows validating this approach, which can be extrapolated to other contemporary constructions.