Carme Pinos: sports centre, Egues, Spain.

Carme Pinos's new project for a sports centre transforms an ordinary brief through an instinctive awareness of the human and social dimension of public space. The new building lies on the edge of a public sports park, with a soccer pitch to its north. On the street side, it presents a hermetic and demure face that follows the line of the road, but on the park side it opens up to simultaneously embrace and become part of the landscape. A serpentine wall with steps, ramps and terraces leading to the upper levels winds around and along the perimeter, undulating up and down like a mini battlement. From here, people can survey the park.

The largest elements of the plan are two swimming pools, which are partially sunk into the site to mitigate the building volume. The pools are supplemented by a gymnasium and various smaller exercise spaces, some overlooking the pool at upper level through glass walls. There is also an outdoor pool which forms part of the external landscaping. A monopitch roof sails out and over the park, sheltering and shading the terraces and steps of the serpentine wall. Modest in scale, yet executed with resourcefulness and sensitivity, Pinos' building is an adroit exercise in the art of making decent, dignified public places and spaces. C. S.

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