Cultural centre in Montbui

Santa Margarida de Montbui was a small municipality that the great immigration wave of the nineteen fifties and sixties turned into a dormitory town on the industrial outskirts of Barcelona. The building forms the end of the elongated park that runs through the urban area. Its northern facade is conceived as a large glass portico that opens generously onto the park and onto good views over this region of central Catalonia. On the sides facing east, south and west the facades are more closed, with lattices for sun protection in all the windows. Entry is through a large porch that leads to a double-height lobby from which all the major departments can be accessed. The library is located longitudinally along the large window that receives constant natural light from the north. In the interior light colours have preferably been used, while the conference and projection room have maple panelling. The multi-purpose room/auditorium has retractable stands and has been treated as a large dark room in order to ensure good visibility for film screenings. The facade is ventilated with Omega-Z brand white bi-prestressed concrete panels. The panels' finish is textured, with letters of different alphabets arranged in bas relief.