Vaixell Burriach Primary School and Vilatzara Secondary School, Vilassar de Mar

Details

Site: Vilassar de Mar, Barcelona
Use: Educational

Description

The project plans two complexes, the primary and secondary schools, within a total trapezoidal area of 15,000 m2 in the new enlargement of Vilassar, designed over a large agricultural area.

The primary and secondary schools are two completely independent functioning organisms and are joined back to back. The constructive structure of both centers lies in the organization of pavilions connected for exterior circulations, covered or otherwise, since the fine climate of the Maresme region is suited to this opening to the exterior. Thus, this logic of relating to the exterior defines the character of the buildings based on the importance, variety and life of the external spaces (cloisters, courtyards, small squares, gardens, porches and plant coverings).

The whole project revolves around the definition of different exterior spaces made up of the building, the walls and the tree-filled area. In the primary school, these are the entrance space to the central cloister, the porches on the ground floor, the small classroom courtyards, the sports field and the entrance to the infant school playground. In the secondary school these are the entrance space-ramp, the entrance courtyard, the classroom courtyards, the porches of the ground floor, the sunken courtyard of the students, the agora of the gymnasium, the main hall and the sports field.

In the primary school the aim was for all the spaces on the ground and first floors to be directly connected with the ground, while in the secondary school the first floor is segregated from the ground. We endeavoured that the lighting of the spaces was always twofold: lighting from the south and north to enable real control of the light within the spaces, related to use and sunlight control. The treatment of the spaces of the secondary school was intentionally harder than in the primary school, not only for questions of maintenance, but also due to the more massive nature of these centres.

Project Name: Vaixell Burriach Primary School and Vilatzara Secondary School
Site: Av. de l’Arquitecte Eduard Ferrés, 101, 08340 Vilassar de Mar, Barcelona
Use: Educational
Project date: 1990
Construction start date: 1992
Construction end date: 1994
Property: Generalitat de Catalunya
Land area: 15.000 m²
Floor area: 8.783 m²

Authors: Manuel Brullet i Tenas, Alfonso de Luna i Colldefors
Surveyors: Josep M. Sanmartin, Joan Rivas
Facilities: T.C.A. – BRIZ FUMADÓ
Structure: Manuel Arguijo y Asociados S.L.
Builder: CONTINENTAL-SANT JOSÉ (Escola), PACSA (Institut)
Photographer: Ferran Freixa
Awards: Winner, FAD Architecture Awards 1994
Publications:
01- Diseño Interior nº48, 1996 pp.20-25.
02- On Diseño nº164, 1995