Centro Andalucía Tech Escuela Politécnica Superior - CATEPS

José María Jiménez Ramón, Ángel Luis Candelas Gutiérrez, José Antonio Plaza Cano, Alfonso Carnerero Parra
2018
Trianera de Arquitectura SLP, NGNP arquitectos y CUE Arquitectos y Abogados
Sando
Universidad de Sevilla
41092 Sevilla
Fernando Alda

Technological Spaces University Building was designed by José María Jiménez Ramón and Ángel Luis Candelas Gutiérrez (Trianera de Arquitectura SLP) in 2008 with the purposal to transfer research results from Seville University.

For this purpose, its construction was extended in multiple phases between 2009 and 2017 under the direction of the same architects. In 2018, José Antonio Plaza Cano, of the NGNP arquitectos studio, designed its transformation into the Centro Andalucía Tech Escuela Politécnica Superior (CATEPS), whose construction was completed in 2020 under the direction of Alfonso Carnerero Parra.

Its unique volumetric and structural concept highlights the functional packages, distinguishing the bodies of light research spaces, those of laboratories (medium load) and the workshop building (large loads), all of which are flexible spatial containers.

Research building conversion into a teaching building has highlighted the flexibility of the initial design, allowing the compartmentalisation required for the new teaching use. The upper blocks house the departments and light laboratories, the laboratory block houses the central services and the hall retains its workshop use. The large central atrium is freed of part of its traffic routes and is transformed into a large space for relationships and coexistence.

Seriation and prefabrication elements, facilitated by the strict modulation, the minimisation of waste, the lightness of the construction and the choice of products with minimum impact, are the constructive decisions adopted in the interests of the real sustainability of the construction. The energy optimisation of the building as a global entity (architecture-civil works-installations) has also been taken into account from the outset, as shown by the preferential orientation of the north-south façades, the incorporation of central open courtyards, the optimisation of the building's thermal insulation level and the incorporation of a solar protection system in the south façades by means of lattices.

University rector Miguel Ángel Castro defined CATEPS as "an emblematic building for the city and the metropolitan area, an image of avant-garde and innovation, research and technology, values that the University of Seville defends and that characterise the new Higher Polytechnic School".

The building is equipped with Gradpanel Serie 120 and Brise Soleil Serie BR 400 louvres as well as Phalcel Serie Panel 300 metal false ceilings and Phalmur Serie Panel 300-10 R cladding.

CATEPS will be put into use when its two-storey circular classroom building is built on a nearby plot, according to a project by José María Jiménez, José Rodríguez, Carlos Martínez and Giorgio Aguilar (U.T.E. Tridarq SAO).

Products used Gradhermetic