Infant and Primary Educational Centre ‘Ángeles Martín Mateo’

Architects: Gabriel Verd, Simone Solinas
Collaborators: Idea & Dimensiona (Estructuras e instalaciones), Javier Perales, Eduardo Vázquez (Arquitectos Técnicos), Díaz Cubero (Constructora)
Year: 2008 (concurso), 2008 (proyecto) 2009-2010 (ejecución)
Customer: ISE Andalucía, Infraestructuras y Servicios Educativos Consejería de Educación de la Junta de Andalucía
Built area: 1.970 m2
Budget: 2.061.422 €
Photography: Jesús Granada

In no Man’s Land, the plot of the school lies on an aggressive environment surrounded by heavy traffic, heavy industry and along a poor neighbourhood. There is a gap of almost four meters that will be used to protect the building from the noise of the highway A-92, providing adequate protection in addition to parents and students during the hours of entry and exit, keeping a safe distance from the busy roads surrounding the site.

The idea is to create a building following the Arabic-Andalusian tradition, leading the life of the edifice towards its interior, to liveable patios and portico galleries for circulation and staying. The distribution of uses was fundamental, positioning all classrooms near to the quiet green areas, and other uses towards the exterior. The three lineal parts which conform the building, originate a U that encircles the central patio thought as infant playground. We tried to give an image of individualized architecture, reflecting its institutional character; the target was to offer a comfortable, happy and clean environment which contributes not only to facilitate teaching activities but at the same time to develop in students habits of cohabitation and good relation with scholar surroundings.