Restricted architectural design competition for the conception, drafting of the executive project and subsequent construction management of the new municipal sports area in Constantí, Tarragona. Firts Prize.

The project is organized to rationally organize the set of planned sports uses, respecting the configuration of the pre-existing facilities in the area. The volumetry and the urbanized spaces have been adjusted to the urban environment that integrates them.

The larger volume containing the indoor swimming pool is located parallel to the avenue acting as a gateway to the sports area. The reception-lobby of the pool building will also be the general entrance and access control to the entire sports area.

The program of the new sports building is organized on two floors, in order to achieve the greatest compactness and economy of construction. Reducing the skin perimeter is achieved by optimizing the thermal losses and the foundation surface. The foundation surface is particularly costly due to the level of expansivity of the subsoil, as the geotechnical report has shown.

All the uses linked to the swimming pool are located on the first floor, while the gymnasium room is located on the second floor. The second floor occupies only half of the floor, which allows it to be visually linked to the pool through the upper part of the bathing area, which has more height.

The long direction of the pool basin is in a southwest-northeast direction. Thus the southernmost facade of the building can be opened to the southeast. This orientation, recommended by the Catalan Sports Council for indoor pools, allows good sunlight for the outdoor solarium area and leaves the openings protected from the Mistral wind by the volume of the building itself.

There is good natural lighting in all the main spaces of the building. In addition to the intrinsic quality, this allows significant savings in artificial lighting during daylight hours. On the other hand, the possibility of cross visuals between the different spaces and the visual contact with the exterior provide a feeling of spaciousness to all the interior activities.

The building stands on a concrete platform, which contains a buried floor to house the pool machinery. Ceramic masonry walls are built on this base to form the vertical enclosures and support the second floor. A light roof over a gable roof supported by wooden porches allows the spans of the sports halls to be bridged with a minimum of excess weight. The entire building starts on a pilot foundation, conditioned by the expansive nature of the terrain.

The entire system of air conditioning and hot water conditioning for showers and pool is produced by aerothermal heat pumps located in a side courtyard of the building.