For the Josefa Puigpelat "Teresina”" Residence, Coll-Leclerc organizes the program into small living units arranged around an indoor plaza, with a living room, dining area, relaxation spaces, and south-facing terraces. Three staggered blocks group these units to form a small neighborhood, promoting both residents’ autonomy and interaction and community life.
The building adopts a compact configuration integrated into the urban fabric. Its porous envelope allows it to adapt to the different seasons and promote passive comfort, while the ground floor extends the activities of the day care centre and residential areas into the outdoor spaces.
Josefa Puigpelat "Teresina" Residence by Coll-Leclerc. Photograph by José Hevia.
Project description by Coll-Leclerc
The proposal is structured around five principles:
A room of one’s own as a home
We understant the room as the foundation of Person-Centered Care. Rather than merely a bedroom, it is conceived as a private, comfortable, and customizable space that allows each resident to preserve their identity and personal habits.
The 108 single rooms are customizable thanks to a 3.20 x 1.80-meter living area located by the façade; this space allows residents to recreate the feel of their own home using one or two pieces of furniture (such as a bookshelf, a table, etc.). This approach configures the room more as a self-contained living unit than as a simple sleeping quarter.
A living unit centered around a plaza
Each living unit accommodates 15 residents across 11 single rooms and 2 double rooms. The rooms are arranged around a central space that functions as an indoor plaza, fostering spontaneous social interaction and community life.
This area is complemented by a living room, a dining area, and naturally lit relaxation zones. The layout avoids long, impersonal corridors, replacing them with a sequence of spaces that evoke the structure of a small village. Each unit also features a south-facing terrace.
A cluster of units forming a neighborhood
The complex is organized into three staggered blocks to maximize façade length, sunlight exposure, and views. This configuration allows for three living units per floor—independent yet interconnected.
On the third floor, one of the units is transformed into a communal space featuring urban gardens and terraces that open onto the landscape of the Agricultural Park, providing a gathering area that complements the ground-floor common spaces.
A building that fosters urban character
The proposal favors a compact building that is integrated into the urban fabric. The three volumes define corners and outdoor spaces that strengthen the connection with the surrounding streets. It combines the advantages of three compact volumes during the winter; in the milder and warmer seasons, these transform via a porous skin that allows for naturally (passively) comfortable spaces.
The ground floor acts as an extension of the interior functions, featuring outdoor areas linked to the day center, general services, and the residential living unit.
A garden as an ecosystem for El Prat
The project dedicates over 60% of the site to outdoor spaces, prioritizing permeable surfaces and green areas. The garden is conceived as a reinterpretation of the landscapes characteristic of El Prat de Llobregat, featuring native, low-water-demand vegetation.
Three main zones are distinguished: an agricultural garden to the south, an orchard to the north, and a riparian garden to the east—inspired by the ecosystems of the Llobregat River. Urban vegetable gardens reinforce the connection to local agricultural tradition while offering opportunities for activity, social interaction, and well-being.
