Polideportivo Valvanera

It would be easy to miss this sports centre, sitting in the heart of this Madrid suburb. The composition is bipartite. The first part is a two-storey block sitting parallel to the street. Looking ahead upon entering, one notices a window into a simple narrow court, which separates the entrance volume from the indoor hall. To the right is the booking desk. Turning round a double height space is evident. This space is split by a diagonal wall along which lies a stepped ramp, taking spectators to the first floor accommodation. At the top of the ramp, one turns right and pauses, again to look to the right - into the court. Players also follow a similar route to the observers but stay on the ground floor. The changing facilities are located under the viewing gallery. The main hall is 45m x 38m and 7.5m high. It is lit by two opposing banks of clerestory windows. As one would expect from SMAO, this is a simple yet highly thought out scheme that far exceeds the expectations of the brief.