Integrated Social Services Center / Vicens + Ramos

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Text description provided by the architects. The building is situated on the Rambla, with access from both lateral streets. It will be accompanied by a future theater and a library which has already been built. The area has been slowly consolidating with the construction of high-density social housing, giving it a very important sense of scale.

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The center is composed of four buildings, the Council for Social Matters, a Residence for the Mentally Ill, a Center for the Elderly, and the Respiro Miniresidence. All of them will function independently, but they are connected in their architectural form in order to give an adequate response to the scale of the site, to be able to optimize processes, for maintenance purposes, and to have a combined three-floor parking space.

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The ensemble is solved using a system of three bays and a constant modulation that takes care of all the requirements of the building, its rooms, and resting, administrative and garage areas. The outer parts of the building are used for living areas, while the central parts are used for social and community spaces. In addition, the simple structure of the building is enhanced by a clear system of construction requiring minimal maintenance, along with balanced building services.

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The longitudinal nature of the building finds a counterpoint in the two lateral volumes of greater height. These correspond to the Elderly Residence and the Council.

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The ground floor is dedicated to halls, eating areas, and day areas protected from public spaces by means of private gardens facing both longitudinal facades. These gardens are only interrupted by the transversal access points to the building.

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The formal unity of the complex is guaranteed by a perimeter gallery that covers all the openings in the facade by means of a U-glass lattice, acting as a thermal envelope and allowing exterior areas on all floors for both resting areas and rooms. This gallery will provide the privacy that the building requires, improving the conditions of habitability and achieving a high-quality facade towards the outside which will change from translucent to transparent depending on the point of view, with reflections throughout the whole day.

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Behind this facade, the exterior walls are clad in white corrugated metallic sheets, placed horizontally on lintels and vertically where there are openings.

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