Relationship between composition, emplacement and construction: the auditorium of the Labour University of Cheste

Abstract

The analysis of the regulating lines that geometrically and dimensionally determine the design of a building floor plan helps to understand the ideation and execution of buildings. However, the relationship between aesthetic value and functionality and how they were represented became more complex in the twentieth century. The Auditorium of the Labour University of Cheste is one example that demonstrates this complex relationship. This research focuses on the study of the regulating lines that determine the design of the building as well as the relationship of the construction and structural systems of the Auditorium with these design rules, the characteristics of the Modern Movement architecture, the climate, and the location. The study provides a deeper understanding of the building’s past and present, creating the basis for analysing the main durability problems of many of the buildings of this period, as well as their state of abandonment. It also allows the foundations for the future of these buildings to be laid by taking advantage of their built value, which is necessary from a functional but also sustainable point of view. The comprehension of the regulating lines and the architectural background are established as the foundation for proposing renovation solutions that restore the use of these buildings while maintaining their aesthetic and material value.