ACTIVITY
Hermes Guillén Marín is a stonemason with broad experience in the rehabilitation of historic buildings. One of his most frequent commissions he receives is the substitution of deteriorated stone pieces for new ones imitating their original carving. To that aim he uses the traditional tools… the stonemasons of the time used, such as: chisels, tooth chisels, axes, toothed stone axes, pickaxes, bush hammers, etc. This way he aims to achieve a similar finish to the ones of the historic pieces. Likewise, he uses different tools to trace and draw the necessary templates to measure on top of the pieces themselves.
He also manufactures stone elements or new stone structures such as façades, walls, staircases, arches, etc., trying to respect the techniques and finishes of the old stone constructions.
He also works in the field of the controlled disassembly of historic elements. To that aim, he numbers each and every piece to be restored and then be placed back, whether it’s in its original place or some other place where it has been reallocated to be in. On occasions, the work requires to place shores and centerings.
He has also been involved in works for the retrieval and protection of archaeological sites.
In the past he carried out his craft with other national restoration business and during that period he acquired experience in the field of restoration of stone with mortars, onsite modelling as well as different cleaning systems, applying patinas and other conservation techniques. He currently works as a freelancer for institutions, companies and private clients. In his professional trajectory he has rehabilitated religious buildings, walls and defensive towers, mansions, etc. all throughout the national geography, even though he finally set his base in the area of La Rioja.
TRAINING
He started his training in the class for Rehabilitation of Buildings at the Fundación Santa María de Albarracín, with the rehabilitation of the Church of Santa María and the White Tower of the city.
SELECTED WORK
Hermes Guillén has taken part in projects such as:
– Bell-gable of the Cistercian Convent in Cañas (La Rioja).
– Restoration of the Portico of the Seu de Gandía (Valencia).
– Restoration of the central nave of the Convent of San Francisco, in Morella (Castellón).
– Restoration of a… Cross in Calahorra (La Rioja).
– Restoration of the Tower of the Plaza de la Paz, in Haro (La Rioja).
– Restoration of the building of the Bells and Pinnacles of the Tower of the Cathedral of Santo Domingo de la Calzada (La Rioja).
– Restoration of the Cloister of the Monastery of Valvanera (La Rioja).
– Restoration of the Palacio de los Mansos de Zúñiga, Canillas de Río Tuerto (La Rioja).
– Reconstruction of the walls of the Archaeological Site of Contrebia Leukade, in Aguilar de Río Alhama (La Rioja).
– Restoration of the Muro del Revellín, in the Walls of Logroño (La Rioja).
– Reconstruction of the columns of the Cultural Centre in Uruñuela (La Rioja).
– Reconstruction of arches of a cloister in the Chapel of Alberite (La Rioja).
– Restoration of the façade and balcony of the Casa de la Villa, in Los Arcos (Navarra).
– Restoration of the vaults and interior vertical walls of the Church of Fuenmayor (La Rioja).
– Restoration of the access pórtico to the Church of Lardero (La Rioja).
– Reconstruction of the Trujal in Yécora (Álava).
– Rehabilitation of the Palacio de Espartero (Museum of La Rioja), in Logroño.
– Remodelling of the access to the Tower of the Cathedral of Santo Domingo de la Calzada (La Rioja).
– Restoration of the north façade and balcony of the Town Council of Santo Domingo de la Calzada (La Rioja).
– Rehabilitation of the Mansion in Cuzcurrita de Río Tirón (La Rioja), current Hotel Teatrisso.
– Interior paving of the Chapel of the Abejas, in Santo Domingo de la Calzada (La Rioja)
– Restoration of the old military buildings of Murrieta, in Logroño, current Palace of Justice of La Rioja.
– Restoration and reconstruction of the Culture House in Lardero (La Rioja).
