Contemporary Buildings

Our tour through Pineda's heritage can't be complete without mentioning some representative examples of contemporary architecture, and in this case, conceived as public service.

In between Balmes, Tribala and Jacint Verdaguer streets there is the "Escola Sant Jordi" ( St. George's School ), the work of architects Oriol Bohigas, Josep M. Martorell and David Mackay, from 1967. The interest of this building lies in its conceptual approach, based on a new interpretation of school's architecture as active element at the service of pedagogy.

The building, arranged around common spaces, has a tendency to reduce corridors, to the functional specialization of the classrooms and to a sense of unity in the distribution of spaces that allows for interactivity as well as adapting to diverse collective activities. The building is structured within the ground level, where diverse common spaces are located, such as the library or the assembly hall, the first floor comprises most of the classrooms and a terrace where the playground and the sports centre are located. The external façades and walls are of brick facia.

In September 1996 the “Can Xaubet” sports centre was inaugurated, a creation of architect Manuel Brullet. It's a building conceived as a compact space, which defines the prismatic shape of the arena, and a lower and long section where the service facilities are located. The flat roof, sloping, provides a large glazed opening that renders constant and balanced natural light, and avoids dazzling in the pitch. Structurally, it develops in two levels. In the upper one there is a large hall connecting with the grandstand and the pitch; in the lower one there are the changing rooms, restrooms, first-aid, store, etc., and also the arena, allowing for a large playing area, additionally suitable for a variety of cultural and entertainment events.

It's also worth mentioning the building of the "Institut d'Ensenyament Secundari Joan Coromines" (Secondary Education Institute Joan Coromines), in 27, Extremadura Street, devised by architects Julio Laviña and Maria Pilar de la Villa. It's composed of a group of buildings that serve as closures to the perimeter streets opening the centre towards the sport arena, leaving the north side of the site as an open courtyard. The front on Extremadura street -four sections of one level only- has three different accesses allowing for independent entrance to the library, the sports zone, the kitchen and the bar. The articulation of these spaces is achieved by means of wooded courtyards linked by a longitudinal pergola that, together with another one in the north, defines the scope of the arena.

The main building is longitudinal and its height diminishes from the second level to the first one when it reaches the urban boundary. It has a central corridor with classrooms in both sides housing the courses of "ESO" (Spanish acronym for “Compulsory Secondary Education for 12- to 16-year-olds”) and "Bachillerato" (Spanish nomenclature for Higher Secondary Education). This longitudinal building favours the extension and future opening of Hortsavinyà Avenue , on the left shore of the Pineda watercourse. The gymnasium building and the multi-purpose rooms encase the school compound. The exterior walls feature alternate layers of white ceramic brick facia, one laid in stretcher bond and another with the same bricks cut in half, laid at an angle and with gaps between them, thus rendering an evenly perforated wall.

Other school buildings are worth mentioning too, as far as the architectonic interest is concerned, such as the CEIP Montpalau (Generalitat Avenue, no NR.), from architect E. Minguillón and the CEIP Mediterrània (Pau Casals Square) from A. Pruñonosa.

In NR. 3 Catalunya Square , at the side of the Council building, there is the Masia "Can Comas" (Can Comas farmhouse), an ancient ancestral home which has been used for diverse purposes throughout its history (it was the residence of the Comas family, banking office and a hotel among others). At present it has been transformed into a cultural centre.

The restoring works of this building, adjacent to Catalunya Square as well as Carrer de Mar and Carrer de la Vila (Village Street), has made it possible to have at the town's disposal a multifunctional facility which houses the "Fundació Tharrats" (Tharrats Fund) and includes an assembly and exhibition hall, a computer classroom, a coffee bar and even a Belvedere (Viewpoint) in the terrace.

The building has been designed in the studio of Javier Mariscal, who has proposed to decorate the façade with one of his very personal creations, one that will grant the old farmhouse a distinct outward appearance that will transform substantially the outlook of Catalunya Square.

The restoring works of this building, adjacent to Catalunya Square as well as Carrer de Mar and Carrer de la Vila (Village Street), has made it possible to have at the town's disposal a multifunctional facility which houses the "Fundació Tharrats" (Tharrats Fund) and includes an assembly and exhibition hall, a computer classroom, a coffee bar and even a Belvedere (Viewpoint) in the terrace.

The building has been designed in the studio of Javier Mariscal, who has proposed to decorate the façade with one of his very personal creations, one that will grant the old farmhouse a distinct outward appearance that will transform substantially the outlook of Catalunya Square .