The School extension “Teresianas-Ganduxer” has been a challenge for Teresa Batlle and Felipe Pich-Aguilera, designing a new building in an environment with the uniqueness and significance of the current Teresianas School.

The project developed by Pich-Aguilera architects, is located on the best place of the plot that would not affect the visibility of the pavilion designed by Antoni Gaudí. Also, the extension adapts to the existing buildings, using a woven ceramic facade that provided a large lattice facing the street and lighting elements into school.

Description of the project by Pich-Aguilera architects

It is the extension of the Teresianas School of the Ganduxer street. Because of its heritage value, the passage of time and the various education reforms, the school has been left without enough classroom space or recreational covered areas.

The new extension re-locates all grades and provides the school with new covered sports space with the necessary infrastructure to provide a service to the school and extracurricular activities. It has been a challenge to design a new building in an environment with the uniqueness and significance of the current Teresianas School. It was decided to locate the project on the best place of the plot that would not affect the visibility of the pavilion designed by Antoni Gaudí. The volume respects the height and distance of the surrounding buildings and links to the existing sports hall.

The building had to talk about its time without turning its back to the specific textures of the existing buildings, so it was decided to use a woven ceramic facade that provided a large lattice facing the street and light and lighting elements into school. This double skin, allows more freedom and flexibility in the distribution of windows and opaque elements needed. The pavilion needed to provide a sports space on a basement floor, consequently it was proposed a hanging metal structure that allowed the building a clear floor.

The classrooms are distributed from a central hall that receives light in each of the floors, through a solar chimney. The interiors are proposed from the maximum austerity and simplicity, according to the strict requirements of the center.

The whole project has worked to achieve minimum consumption of air conditioning and indoor air renovation, vegetation plays an important role in air quality and cooperates with the machinery necessary to reduce pollution. Radiating heating has been chosen as the solution that provides greater comfort and heat transfer.

The location of the building allows an overall restructure of the functioning of the school and clearly enables a separate access for second cycle students. It also provides an additional service that does not interfere with school schedules and performances or the religious community.

CREDITS. DATA SHEET.-

Architects.- Picharchitects.
Promotion.- Fundación Teresiana.
Work.- New and rehabilitation.
Surface.- 2.845 m².
Year.- 2014.
Localitation.- Barcelona, Spain.

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Pich-Aguilera Arquitectes. Founded in 1986 by the architects Felipe Pich-Aguilera Baurier and Teresa Batlle Pagés, it focuses mainly on sustainable architecture projects. The effort, in this sense, has led them to develop planning, promote innovation, research and development projects and delve into aspects related to the sustainability of their buildings, basing their work on the principles of the circular economy and well-being with minimal consumption. Thus, the study not only focuses on the development of projects but also has transversal areas that take care of quality, innovation and sustainability.The current complexity and precision of their work have led them to be one of the first firms to incorporate the BIM model into their projects and the ISO9001 certification.

Since 2010, Picharchitects/Pich-Aguilera has strengthened its international presence by opening an office in Monterrey, Mexico. Since 2022 Picharchitects/Pich-Aguilera reinforces its national presence with a new office in Madrid to expand its area of activity throughout the national territory. The studio has received numerous awards for architecture and environmental innovation. Among the most recent, it is worth highlighting: 2020 First Prize for “Ascer” architecture for the “Research Center of the Hospital de Sant Pau and la Santa Creu”. 2018 Castilla-La Mancha Sustainable Construction Award for the "Leitat Technology Center."

The studio's success lies in its multidisciplinary approach, being composed of a team that encompasses disciplines such as innovation, sustainability, industrialization, and circular economy. This synergy between different areas allows them to tackle projects from a global perspective, ensuring innovative and sustainable solutions.

Felipe Pich-Aguilera Baurier. Doctor architect. Graduated in 1986 by the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. Speciality in Construction. Member of the Group EASA (European Assembly of Students of Architecture). Participants in the Congresses in Denmark (1984), Greece (1985), and Finland (1987). Founder member of ASF-E, the Association of Architects Without Borders from Spain. Professor of projects and director of the core subject of Sustainability.

Founder Member of the Young Catalan Architects Association (AJAC) and instigator of the activity “Meetings-Dialogue” in the Association. Founder Member of the Superior School of Architecture of the International University of Catalonia ESARQ/UIC. President of the school councils (1996-1999). Fourth-Grade Professor (since 2008). Professor of architecture and sustainability Fourth-Grade. Director of environmental and industrialisation investigation area. Founder Member of the grouping “AuS” (Architecture and Sustainability) grouping integrated into the School of Catalonia Architects.

President GBC (Spanish president of the International Initiative for a Sustainable Built Environment and World Green Building Council), from 2008 to 2017. Director of the Chair of industrialized building and environment (CEIM). Member of the Environment of CEMEX. Since 1996, Felipe gives courses and conferences in workshops and masters in Schools of Architecture and institutions related to sustainability in constructive process and respect for the environment in Catalonia, Spain and worldwide.

Teresa Batlle Pagès. Architect. Graduated in 1989 from the School of Architecture at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. Specialization in services and conditions. Member Group of EASA (European Assembly of Students of Architecture). Attends the Congress of Denmark(1984), Greece (1985), and Finland (1987). Founding member of the Young Architects Association of Catalonia (AJAC). Founding member of the School of Architecture at the International University of Catalonia ESARQ / UIC. Coordinator of Teaching 2nd Cycle Plan (1997-1999). Coordinator of the Professional Council. (1996-1999).

Founding member of the Association AuS, Architecture and Sustainability of the College of Architects of Catalonia. Founding member of the Architecture and Sustainability Association (ASA), driven by the Superior Council of Colleges of Architects of Spain (CSCAE). Member of the Board of the 22 @-network and association of innovative companies with headquarters in the 22 @ Barcelona. Vice President of the association AUS (architecture resources of Catalonia). General Secretary of the association ASA (resources i architecture of Spain). President of the Scientific Committee of ASA. President of the Commission of environment of the association Network22. Coordinator since 1997, round tables and debates on industrialization and the environment.

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Published on: September 19, 2014
Cite: "School extension “Teresianas-Ganduxer” by Picharchitects" METALOCUS. Accessed
<http://www.metalocus.es/en/news/school-extension-teresianas-ganduxer-picharchitects> ISSN 1139-6415
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