ARCHITECTURE - DISTINCTION Project: JAUME I HIGH SCHOOL Author: Ramón Esteve Cambra
PROJECT MEMO
The starting point for the design was a number of very specific determining factors such as the orography of the land, the irregular shape of the plot of land and the complexity of the proposition. What the designers came up with was a collection of five inter-related volumes that accommodate all of the requirements of the project and define their own exterior space. The main building acts as a kind of axis that dictates the order of the whole set of buildings, houses the communal areas and articulates the different volumes through a series of porches and glass corridors that connect one building to the next. The main building and the ESO building have been conceived as a compact block punctuated vertically by patios clad with ceramic tiles that are a source of light and space. The patios enable people to orientate themselves and give them a point of reference in this extremely long linear volume whilst also making the ‘route’ around the interior of the building more dynamic and enriching the spaces. The other blocks that make up the centre are the gymnasium and the workshops, which look like typical industrial building where ceramic tiles play a central role, bathing the very light, very high spaces in colour. These spaces have been designed as compact, windowless blocks that are ventilated and lit through great ‘gashes’ in the roof. The buildings have been designed in such a way that they appear to merge into one another, producing a group that is homogeneous in its design and architectural treatment. CERAMIC TILES Right from the earliest design stages it was decided to use coloured ceramic tile on the IES (Institute for Higher Education) Jaume I project, as the contrast they would create with the bulky look of the pre-cast concrete would provide the character and singularity that the designers wanted the building to have. Using ceramic tile – a traditional, inexpensive material that offers great versatility in terms of colours and formats and is easy to install – enabled us to resolve all the building’s requirements as regards finishes, both interior and exterior, with a single element. When drawing up the specifications for the project we took a hard look at ceramic tile and the classic way of using it so as to then make optimum use of the sculptural possibilities the material offers. The different coloured glazes on the tiles mean that it is easy to know where you are in the building. They also make the routes around the inside more dynamic and give a warm feel to the spaces. The installation options for tiles and the many ways in which they can be deployed meant that ceramic would be the element that would link the interior to the exterior of the building, through the differently coloured patios. The material’s intrinsic properties enhanced all of these propositions whilst the fact that they are strong and hygienic – very important considerations for this kind of building – was another major benefit. It was for all of these reasons that we chose to us 20 x 20cm ceramic tiles with 10 x 10cm presplitting. We used a cement based grout with colour added in and cement mortar adhesive with mixed fixatives on a cement mortar render. As the patios are outside spaces subject to significant temperature variations we laid both horizontal and vertical joints to avoid tiles coming loose and to make it easier to hold them in place.
The starting point for the design was a number of very specific determining factors such as the orography of the land, the irregular shape of the plot of land and the complexity of the proposition. What the designers came up with was a collection of five inter-related volumes that accommodate all of the requirements of the project and define their own exterior space.
The main building acts as a kind of axis that dictates the order of the whole set of buildings, houses the communal areas and articulates the different volumes through a series of porches and glass corridors that connect one building to the next.
The main building and the ESO building have been conceived as a compact block punctuated vertically by patios clad with ceramic tiles that are a source of light and space. The patios enable people to orientate themselves and give them a point of reference in this extremely long linear volume whilst also making the ‘route’ around the interior of the building more dynamic and enriching the spaces.
The other blocks that make up the centre are the gymnasium and the workshops, which look like typical industrial building where ceramic tiles play a central role, bathing the very light, very high spaces in colour. These spaces have been designed as compact, windowless blocks that are ventilated and lit through great ‘gashes’ in the roof.
The buildings have been designed in such a way that they appear to merge into one another, producing a group that is homogeneous in its design and architectural treatment.
CERAMIC TILES Right from the earliest design stages it was decided to use coloured ceramic tile on the IES (Institute for Higher Education) Jaume I project, as the contrast they would create with the bulky look of the pre-cast concrete would provide the character and singularity that the designers wanted the building to have.
Using ceramic tile – a traditional, inexpensive material that offers great versatility in terms of colours and formats and is easy to install – enabled us to resolve all the building’s requirements as regards finishes, both interior and exterior, with a single element. When drawing up the specifications for the project we took a hard look at ceramic tile and the classic way of using it so as to then make optimum use of the sculptural possibilities the material offers. The different coloured glazes on the tiles mean that it is easy to know where you are in the building. They also make the routes around the inside more dynamic and give a warm feel to the spaces.
The installation options for tiles and the many ways in which they can be deployed meant that ceramic would be the element that would link the interior to the exterior of the building, through the differently coloured patios. The material’s intrinsic properties enhanced all of these propositions whilst the fact that they are strong and hygienic – very important considerations for this kind of building – was another major benefit.
It was for all of these reasons that we chose to us 20 x 20cm ceramic tiles with 10 x 10cm presplitting. We used a cement based grout with colour added in and cement mortar adhesive with mixed fixatives on a cement mortar render. As the patios are outside spaces subject to significant temperature variations we laid both horizontal and vertical joints to avoid tiles coming loose and to make it easier to hold them in place.