Description

The building, which pertained to the former Universidad Laboral and is now occupied by Pablo de Olavide University, is an example of architecture from the Modern Movement. It is an expression of the Andalusian avant-garde by the OTAISA group of architects. The building was designed in a rationalist style of simple volumes, using ceramic dry stone and exposed brickwork. However, nowadays, this texture is rendered and painted-over in a range of colours, varying according to the particular section. The adopted formal style in this sense is eminently abstract – characteristic of the rationalist discourse prevalent at the time it was built. 

The building is laid out along the longitudinal axis, and from here its circulation is distributed to the four floors (the ground floor and three upper floors) and to the different areas it serves (offices, teaching rooms and storage areas). Three circulation routes – only one of which features a lift – link the different floors of the building vertically: one outside, close to the entrance, and two inside.

The functionality of this architecture is a result of the general design of its ground-plan and alignment with the outdoor landscaped spaces. Just as in the case of the other buildings (Buildings 2–14), the comb-form of the central corridor, known as the Pasaje de la Ilustración, also acts as the backbone of the complex.

The present-day “Francisco de Miranda” Block (Building 9) and “Pedro Rodríguez Campomanes” Block (Building 7) of the University Pablo de Olavide were originally part of the former “Alfonso el Sabio” School of the then-Universidad Laboral. This building housed teaching rooms equipped for both theoretical and practical education of students from Advanced Vocational Studies and Advanced Plant Pathology Studies, both of which prepared professionals for admission into the School of Practitioners. 

The site currently has multidisciplinary uses as part of Pablo de Olavide University´s provision, as well being home to the Centre for Informatics and Communication.