Description

Gross/net floor area: 10,685.62 m2 / 11,533.35 m2. This rectangular ground-plan is composed  of four large main geometric forms: two circles, one of which is larger than the other, around which the teaching rooms are organised radially with a staircase in the middle of each one; an equilateral triangle with one apex dovetailing with the centre of the first circle it enters; and a central rhombus form, whose two minor facing angles coincide with the centres of both circular ground-plans, thus acting as connecting space between the circles. The centre of the rhombus also houses the building’s main quadrangular staircase.

The elevation plan shows three large semi-detached constructions. The external façades have different forms according the floor they serve. They are covered with aluminium and glass sheets which combine to produce a greyish tone; and the bottom part of the curvilinear walls is covered with dark grey slate slabs in the form baseboards. The first structure we see is trapezoidal, its plain façade comprising three storeys with rows of rectangular window openings and a column at either end. The second structure is cylindrical, with a plain curvilinear façade featuring five floors of rectangular window openings. Finally, a conical structure comprises four floors with rectangular window openings. The main door is located in this third structure, on one of its spoke segments, where the lower section of the façade opens up into an arcade and a set of stairs. 

The building is named after Cesáreo Rodríguez-Aguilera (1916–2016), who was a well-known figure in the fields of Jurisprudence and Art. He was born in the town of Quesada, Jaén Province, where he met his fellow countryman, the painter Rafael Zabaleta (1907–1960). His career took him to Barcelona where he served as a judge and where he also rubbed shoulders with a number of avant-garde artists. 

In June 2002, the Cesáreo Rodríguez-Aguilera Foundation was created which incorporates the Cesáreo Rodríguez Aguilera Space, which is managed by the University of Jaén. This houses the artistic works bequeathed by Cesário Rodríguez-Aguilera as well as archive material, and is charged with promoting artistic, cultural and legal activities linked to his legacy. 

The building is used for teaching activities which take place in the classrooms on a daily basis.