children's innovation centre in valencia clad in colorful tiles
SHARE AND PROMOTE YOUR WORK
since 1999, home of design culture, designboom has been the world'sfirst online magazine. we welcome readers to submit projects. START UPLOADING
first image
'innovation center for children' by four square arquitectos , valencia, spain
image © designboom
architect ana garcia sala of foursquare arquitectos, with M2 distribución, worked in conjunction with ceramic tile specialists at natucer to create
colorful skins for the innovation centre for children. on a recent trip to valencia, spain, designboom was given a guided tour of the
experimental education complex, a program which called for an architectural form that encouraged creativity and social integration in children
as well as a building that integrates the sustainable technology. apart from the inviting rounded shapes, color was an essential part of creating
an environment that evokes exploration. each cylindrical module is clad in an array of colorful ceramic tiles. the glazed porcelain was extruded
during carefully timed firing cycles, calculated to yield the correct degree of curvature required for each facade. the building's facade was presented
as an exemplary use of porcelain ceramic tiling during the 2013 CEVISIMA trade fair, which is dedicated to showcasing previously unseen
technical innovations in the glazing, finishing processes and design capacities for ceramic tiles. the brilliantly glazed ceramic porcelain tiles
on the innovation centre are attached to slotted tracks with aluminum staples and are part of a metal substructure that uses panels of aluminum cladding
and mineral wool. exterior cladding, once thought forever relegated to rustic-looking grout and clay tiles, can be a fine, vibrant skin. additionally,
the school uses both solar panels, special resin-treated floors and geothermal energy for climate control and regulation.
the fun and light-hearted exteriors are only interrupted by quirky square windows that allow passive natural lighting in the rounded,
spiraling interiors. the building far exceeds the role of container and becomes an object to behold in bustling environment,
replete with growing minds. the pods become centers of activity that create spatial relationships and contribute to the cognitive development models
being implemented in the the classrooms.
multicolored pods work in conjunction with tangent-edged forms to realize an optimal environment for early childhood development
image © designboom
filleted building edges, barriers and wire nets create a safe environment while keeping with the technicolored fun
image © designboom
image © designboom
in lieu of rectilinear walls, the architect chose to lay tangent to the vertices
image © designboom
while the architecture is supposed to be fun, the overarching goal was to create a form that helped children develop spatial and social relationships on a cognitive level
image © designboom
glazed tiles allows for an impressive range of tints and shades to create a dynamic surface
image © designboom
the facade tiles were created with a unique firing method that allows perfectly calculated curves to create a continuous-looking skin
image © designboom
primary and secondary colors intensify each other in context
image © designboom
the groundbreaking skin of the building architectonically matches the educational experiments implemented inside the classroom
image © designboom
vibrant tiles titillate against the valencian sky
image © designboom
interior circulation continues that curved language of the exterior
image © designboom
the clusters of buildings vary from single level to three storey structures
image © designboom
image © designboom
a system of ramps connects the classroom spaces with common areas
image © designboom
image © designboom
curved interiors also direct circulation
image © designboom
image © designboom
image © designboom
ramón spaudo of m2 proyectos and lead architect ana garcia salas of foursquare architects stand in front of one of the modules
image © designboom
love these and the use of tiles as an exterior building material!
Querría mencionar un error absoluto entre los profesionales ya que un azulejo no es un material para exteriores e intemperie sino para baños dado su cuarteo. Creo que debería llamarse baldosa cerámica para exteriores de gres o porcelanico dado, que ese producto si que aguanta por sus propiedades fisicas y quimicas en exteriores. Gracias.
joan, thank you for your poignant comment. the article has since been amended to show the changing notions of ceramic tiles, wherein treatments for exterior-grade tiling are now aesthetically and materially comparable to interior tile. the building’s facade was presented as an exemplary use of porcelain ceramic tiling during the 2013 CEVISIMA a trade fair which is dedicated to showcasing previously unseen technical innovations in the glazing, finishing processes and design capacities for ceramic tiles. while the delicate process behind tin-glazed ‘azulejo’ was actually a moorish-imported technique for both interiors and exteriors, ceramic tiles long-held properties like temperature control are now being integrated in contemporary sustainable practice.
No es CEVISIMA, es CEVISAMA