THIS IS Passatges.
A school between the public and the intimate. A place where music and city meet.
The new school stands in Ciutadella’s historic centre as though it had always belonged there — a compact, stone-like building carved into the urban fabric, yet open and accessible thanks to its permeability. What could have been just another facility becomes a meeting point for neighbours, students and visitors.
LOCATION
Ciutadella, Menorca
AREA
2.200 m2
YEAR
2023
PHOTOGRAPHY
Michał Gursztyn
STATUS
Competition
PARTNERS
Estudio Mars
Ernesto Urquízar
Ramón Lopez
A contemporary zaguan — open, welcoming — ready to host anything from an improvised performance to a pause in the shade.
Inspired by Menorca’s vernacular architecture, its galleries and courtyards act as small urban breaths, creating a sequence of open and covered spaces that guide visitors towards the interior square.
At the heart of the school, a double-height central gallery organises all the classrooms. Bright and naturally ventilated, it works as an interior street — a place to cross paths, wait between lessons or simply watch northern light enter through the saw-tooth roof.
The layout is compact and efficient: The auditorium sits on the ground floor facing Rossinyol Street; Rehearsal rooms are placed on the more sheltered lower levels; Classrooms open onto interior courtyards, protected from urban noise. Everything is designed so that music can flourish in an intimate, well-controlled environment, always in dialogue with the city.
A school designed for learning — and for living.
The building is entirely clad in an earthy lime render, blending seamlessly with the surroundings.
Local materials and strong island light create façades that shift with textures, shadows and the passing hours.
