Montesión Son Moix
The client's decision was to transfer the educational activities from the historic complex on Montesión St, in the old town of Palma, to the center of Son Moix. This change will have an impact on 500 high school and vocational students as they move out of their current classrooms and into a new building designed to meet the latest educational standards.
The new center is integrated into the existing layout of the pavilions. The two original pavilions have been successively expanded and renovated in order to adapt to changes in educational systems and the requirements of increasingly stricter regulations. The new pavilion, compact and functional, with a surface area of 6,200 m², is located in the upper part of the plot, creating an independent access from Andalucía St. This new access addresses mobility issues and improves connectivity in a more appropriate street than Camí de Son Rapinya, together with the reorganization of the existing pavilion entrances on the same street. The layout of the new pavilion creates a boulevard flanked by green areas that connects the various buildings, forming an internal "rambla" where existing vegetation is complemented by new trees and landscaped areas, providing shade during the warmer months.
The building is developed over four floors. The ground floor acts as a transitional space between the boulevard and the upper levels, where the educational areas are located. Separated from the main body of the building by a covered porch that facilitates the connection between indoor and outdoor spaces, this floor houses general services and a cafeteria. The building is composed of two slightly offset volumes to maximize the façade area. It has a central core with a large double height staircase that connects the different floors and encourages interaction among users. Surrounding this core, which also includes service areas and technical rooms, the circulation spaces are designed as an agora—spaces not only for transit but also for meeting and interaction—providing access to the classrooms located on the façades to optimize natural lighting and ventilation.
The classrooms have been arranged according to the needs of the educational program, with an emphasis on flexibility and the ability to group or divide spaces as needed. Environments are spacious and versatile, reflecting new pedagogies that emphasize hands-on, experimental, collaborative work. Visual connections between classrooms and circulation spaces are encouraged.
This creates a spatial continuity that reinforces the student's role in the educational environment. Through a skin of steel louvers, the building's façade responds to the lighting and ventilation needs of the classrooms. This skin adapts to different orientations, optimizing interior comfort conditions based on solar exposure and classroom use. The modulation of the slats gives the façade a dynamic and visually interesting character, varying according to the orientation of the building and adapting to the lighting needs throughout the day. The chromatic variation of the slats enhances this diversity and visually lightens the compact mass of the building.
The shell of the building extends to the new gymnasium, creating an enclosed structure to protect the courts from the weather. This versatile, open and sheltered space houses futsal, basketball and volleyball courts and is connected to outdoor areas and courtyards by tiered seating. This creates a continuous and multifunctional environment suitable for community events.
The educational complex has been designed under the highest standards of sustainability, incorporating both passive and active strategies from the earliest stages of the project. The building has achieved the maximum energy efficiency rating, A, and its roof hosts a photovoltaic installation of 89.24 kWp, with an estimated annual production of 133,860 kWh. This renewable energy system avoids the emission of 26.8 tons of CO₂ per year, reinforcing the project’s commitment to decarbonization and providing students with a direct understanding of sustainable energy generation.
Materiality is sober and locally sourced, selected for its thermal and acoustic properties, and left exposed to highlight a functional and straightforward approach. A design that, beyond responding to technical criteria, also reinforces the didactic character of the complex.
The new building and sports pavilion are integrated into the overall masterplan of the complex, creating new circulation patterns. Although the upper levels (high school and vocational training) and the lower levels (primary and secondary education) have independent access and spaces, the outdoor areas are connected through courtyards, green spaces and accessible pathways. The design of the outdoor spaces places special emphasis on areas designated for the parking of sustainable vehicles such as bicycles and scooters, promoting safe and autonomous access for students.
