Sant Boi de Llobregat / BAAS

Sant Boi de Llobregat / BAAS - WindowsSant Boi de Llobregat / BAAS - FacadeSant Boi de Llobregat / BAAS - Image 4 of 12Sant Boi de Llobregat / BAAS - FacadeSant Boi de Llobregat / BAAS - More Images+ 7

  • Architects: BAAS Arquitectura: BAAS
  • Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2002

Text description provided by the architects. Distribution

The building is centered around three vertical bars separated by three courtyards on a plinth. Large skylights illuminate the ground-floor entrance hall. This hall acts as a focus point for all public areas and their vertical nuclei.

The hearing rooms and the upper bars, one per room, of the judicial offices are situated on the plinth.

Sant Boi de Llobregat / BAAS - Image 9 of 12

Four areas in each corner allow access and communication for the public, judges, court workers etc.

The civil registry office opens out onto the rear street, emphasising the important role it plays in the facade as a whole and the surrounding public area.

Sant Boi de Llobregat / BAAS - Image 4 of 12

Façade

The concrete sheets are placed at different distances and inclinations, giving a certain dynamic feel (a court should appear agile and alive) to the building, while at the same time orienting and framing the visual impact.

As a result, the image of the facades gradually changes depending on where you look at the building from: in perspective the building is opaque and solid, but as you get closer, it appears light and transparent, just as the justice system should be for the general public.

Sant Boi de Llobregat / BAAS - Windows

The use of coloured glass in some parts of the building identifies some uses and favours the changing image of the square.

On the rear facade, sun will filter through the courtyards, illuminating the concrete sheets from inside.

Sant Boi de Llobregat / BAAS - Facade

Surroundings

The court building will be the focal point of a new-build square housing several public buildings. The site clearly faces the square as the railway line to the rear cuts off any pedestrian communication.

The square is connected to the centre of the old town by a boulevard, so the court building needs to be seen as an imposing landmark which balances out the town hall square. Hence the waiting area of the courtroom (the most representative space) overlooks the square.

Sant Boi de Llobregat / BAAS - Facade, Glass, Column

Structure

The exterior structure, very simple, based on the image of bars across a base, is intentionally distorted with the application of an uninterrupted façade - making the building uniform - with a markedly vertical component resulting in a monumental appearance and granting the character it deserves. This verticality is achieved through large white concrete panels, which filter vision from outside and maximise transparency from inside.

Sant Boi de Llobregat / BAAS - Windows, Facade

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Project location

Address:Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

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Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.
About this office
Cite: "Sant Boi de Llobregat / BAAS" 13 May 2009. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/21934/sant-boi-de-llobregat-baas> ISSN 0719-8884

Sant Boi de Llobregat / BAAS

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