The site of the project was the outdoor sports pitch and the changing rooms of the Tres Xemeneies Park, in the Sants-Montjuic district of Barcelona.
The project consisted of constructing a sports pavilion that would fully integrate with the same industrial typology as the park without moving too far away from its original materials or geometrical shapes.
The pitch is covered by means of a light deck roof that is suspended from the main structure, thereby reducing the height volume needed to cover the area, reducing shadows and ensuring that the neighbour’s park views are respected. Furthermore, it is easy to maintain and lowers the budget of the project given that there is less area of façade. This has the added bonus of reducing the wind impact. The perimeter of the existing pitch is widened by a few meters to coincide with, and take advantage of, the supporting pillar structure of the car park underneath. This extra space allows for some stands for the spectators, which can be dismantled.
The shuttering around the perimeter walls has various functions. It allows for sunlight to be diffused through it, provides natural cross-ventilation and stops the rain from getting in. The slats transform the building at night into a lamp that diffuses the light from the strong lamps of the pavilion and light up the park without causing glare or light pollution. Natural light also enters the pavilion by means of skylights, strategically positioned to provide the perfect light for the activities undertaken, with the added benefit being the reduction of electric consumption all year round.
On the inside of the pavilion, a stretch of oriented strand board facilitates the division of key areas such as the storage room, the changing room entrances and pavilion services. Contrastingly, on the exterior façade of the pavilion, a stretch of glass humanizes the façade from the street and makes the transition between the present galvanized steel and the slats which provide lightness to the building.
Situated in the north-facing façade there is a set of metallic doors that allow the pavilion to open itself to the park for special events.
The project involved the recuperation of the original paving of the pitch which was covered by recycled old tyres. It was given a treatment to ensure the adherence required for the practice of sports and provide a multipurpose use given that the pavilion is the only covered building of its size in the centre of the neighbourhood. The erection and mounting of the structure, roofing and façade took 35 days using functional components and bolted joints. The roof has solar panels for hot domestic water and there is a plan to incorporate photovoltaic panels to facilitate the sustainability of the annual energetic consumption of the pavilion.
