Els Arcs

Project Description

Els Arcs (‚The Arches‘) is a multipurpose building in La Massana, Andorra, at an altitude of 1250m.
The local council, the Comú de la Massana, commissioned the building from the winners of the ideas competition.

The vertical communications core linking the two access levels, on the ground and fourth floors, provides a space where people can interact. The brief combines a variety of uses; children’s play area, youth club, business incubator. call center for Andorra Telecom, multimedia center, and local health center. The project seeks to give a homogeneous urban image to this diverse mix of public and private uses.

The openings that configure the façade are light boxes set on different planes, bringing natural light into the interior while optimizing energy efficiency. The geometry of the concrete roof is reflected in the interior by plaster ribs which invoke the slopes of the mountains, improve the acoustics and conceal the lighting and other services.The use of stone and slate and the pitched roofs are clear references to traditional Pyrenees architecture.