aulets arquitectes' vaulted brickwork reflects the historic architecture of mallorca

among the historic center of felanitx, a town located on the spanish mediterranean island of mallorca, aulets arquitectes sites a municipal archive which expresses the architectural language of its context. the site is dense with overlapping plots, patios, terraces and walls, a legacy that remains a part of the material history of the building and the city. similarly, the building itself is expressed as a sequence of materials — including brickwork and concrete — as well as methods of construction which reflect those of the region.

all images courtesy of aulets + josé hevia

the spanish studio aulets arquitectes, based in mallorca’s capital city of palma, developed the new volume to integrate into the anonymous and humble architecture of the surroundings. the adjacent houses that make up the fabric of the neighborhood are typically closed off from the street, save for narrow entrance apertures. the exterior of the municipal archive building follows this precedent, as the house instead demonstrates its character on the interior with a bold expression of vertically oriented brick masonry and exposed structure.

the building is comprised of two large rooms, each with dramatically exposed structure overhead. on the ground floor, a row of concrete barrel vaults float above the rhythmic brickwork which makes up the interior walls and columns. on the first floor above, a wooden roof continues the sequence of materials and floats above the walls and clerestory windows. the building is constructed with five materials — concrete, ceramic, timber, iron and lime. these five materials have been worked by five craftsmen, who express their expertise in the building through their work.

project info:

client: ajuntament de felanitx
location: felanitx, mallorca
architecture: aulets arquitectes
structural engineer: alfons romero
prime constructor: construcciones marin
built area: 196 m2
project date: 2014
project complete: 2018
total budget: 250.000€
photography: aulets + josé hevia