At the end of the 19th century, the textile industry of the town of Callús flourished and developed along the Cardener River, which became the center of activity. As a consequence, both the small castle of Godmar and the church of Sant Sadurní fell gradually into disuse. The only element preserved from the castle was a round tower, and the church, which had been reconstructed in 1800 over an old Romanesque building, was used as a prison during the Civil War, and later as a pig farm for several decades. The intervention here consists in the refurbishment and conversion of the church, listed as ‘Bien de Interés Cultural’ (property of cultural interest), into a privately-managed space for events.

A number of auxiliary blocks had been added to the original construction over the years, covering its Romanesque facade. The project started out by taking apart those secondary elements to create a distinctive ensemble. The interior of the rectory building, already obsolete, was emptied out, maintaining only its outer walls and configuring an open courtyard. This operation generated the buildable area needed to raise a new block that is articulated around the central courtyard and becomes the core of the composition.

This volume is divided into two sections that are differentiated both formally and programatically. The first contains a space with an open distribution allowing for a variety of uses. The enclosure consists of V-shaped metallic profiles, arranged to create a permeable skin that changes depending on the observer’s point of view. Furthermore, the spacing between components is greater at the ends, letting light and air pass through, and reducing the visual impact of the pavilion. The profiles have a structural role, and extend along the west facade to create a porch onto the landscape. The second part, including service areas and an additional underground level, is clad with timber planks. Both envelopes are constructed with lighweight materials that create a contrast with the solid stone church, favoring a separate reading of the intervention and giving each precinct an identity of its own. 

The project also includes different bioclimatic design strategies, so the natural ventilation and solar protection systems have been studied carefully, and the facility is equipped with a rainwater collection deposit.