Pilota Town, indoor court
Valencian Pilota “joc de la pilota”, a traditional handball sport in this area, has always been played in the streets of our towns and cities. The street has been our official playing field.
We organized a “Ciutat” (town) in which the streets and the square, which are clearly outdoor urban spaces, have been our starting points for developing the idea. From the urban spaces we can visualize all pilota games proposed in the program.
The topography allows direct access to two split-levels: the lower level is dedicated for the sport’s practice. It encloses the playing courts and players’ (pilotaris) additional spaces, all resolved with natural ventilation and lighting.
The higher level is intended for spectators, from where they can enjoy the game; nothing prevents vision, always going down, never up. It is an arched plane by the horizontal transparencies. The game walls are the ones setting the visual boundary.
The structure in contact with the ground is solved with white reinforced concrete walls. The roof structure is solved with metal beams of up to 55,00m. Light. Tempered glass has a leading role in defining game spaces.
Developer:
Generalitat Valenciana
Consell Valencià de l'Esport
Architects (M. Arch)
SANTATECLA ARQUITECTOS S.L.P.
Architects (B. Arch)
Vicente Alcayde Pardo
Contractor:
CLEOP, S.A.
Project 2003/2009 - Project’s completion date 2010
Photography:
Santatecla Arquitectos S.L.P.
Location:
Camí Pelosa s/n - Moncada (Valencia)
39°33'40.76" N - 00°24'00" W