© courtesy of EXIT Architects
© courtesy of EXIT Architects
© courtesy of EXIT Architects
© courtesy of EXIT Architects
© courtesy of EXIT Architects
© courtesy of EXIT Architects
© courtesy of EXIT Architects
© courtesy of EXIT Architects
© courtesy of EXIT Architects
© courtesy of EXIT Architects
© courtesy of EXIT Architects
© courtesy of EXIT Architects
© courtesy of EXIT Architects
© courtesy of EXIT Architects
© courtesy of EXIT Architects
© courtesy of EXIT Architects
© courtesy of EXIT Architects
© courtesy of EXIT Architects
© courtesy of EXIT Architects
© courtesy of EXIT Architects

Cultural Civic Centre Former Prison

Spain CCC ES
Exit Architects
2011

Type

Cultural

Tags

cultural facilities, Spain ccc

Visitability

Allowed

Description

The former provincial prison of Palencia is a 19th century building characterised by neo-Mudéjar style masonry load-bearing walls and made up of four two-storey pavilions and other one-storey pavilions. The project involved a comprehensive refurbishment to transform the former prison into a centre for cultural and social activities in this part of the city.The proposal aimed to transform the old prison into a meeting place that would highlight some of the existing spaces, while at the same time integrating new structures that would make a new programme possible. The intervention was carried out with the utmost respect for the building, which was given a more modern and lighter appearance and in which light became the protagonist.To achieve this, the most important two-storey pavilions were hollowed-out and given a new, independent structure to support the new framing and roofs. In addition, new link buildings were built between the existing pavilions to facilitate connections between them and give the Centre a new look.The entire building revolves around a large lobby that connects the four pavilions of the former prison. It is an open-plan space that features light round glass courtyards that provide light and articulate the space. Given its central location with respect to the pavilions, this space acts as a hub and distributor of users who, passing through the entrance and reception pavilion, head towards the rest of the Centre’s rooms.The lobby leads to the side pavilions, where the function room and a series of music and visual art rooms are located. Upstairs, under large glass skylights, are two multi-purpose rooms for larger groups of people.The former prison cells now house the library area. The reading rooms revolve around a high central space located under an octagonal skylight which acts as a distribution axis for the different rooms and to which the vertical communication cores and the control and office areas lead.(Description provided by the architects)

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