Recovery of the Old Manresa Slaughterhouse in Universitary center FUB3
Adaptive reuse of industrial heritage
The project for the recovery of the former Manresa Slaughterhouse as the FUB3 University Building transforms an early 20th-century industrial complex into a new facility for the Fundació Universitària del Bages. The ensemble, listed as a Local Cultural Heritage Asset, is reinterpreted to accommodate current academic needs while preserving its architectural identity.
The intervention refurbishes three of the original four historic industrial halls and introduces a new contemporary volume that reorganises the complex around its central space. The programme includes classrooms, meeting rooms, a multi-purpose gymnasium, changing facilities and staff areas.
The design approach is based on a clear principle: to retain the character of the existing buildings and, at the same time, provide them with the spatial and technical conditions required for a modern educational use.
Promoter:Fundació Universitària del Bages
Surface:1.790 m²
Budget MEB:1.851.312 €
Ended:15/03/2019
Constructor:Constructora d'Aro
Prefabs:
Installations:JSS Enginyeria
Structures:Boma & Associats
DEO:Ardevol Consultors Associats
Lean management:
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Approach to a historic building
The project begins with a careful understanding of the former slaughterhouse as an industrial complex with strong architectural and urban presence. The intervention adopts a respectful strategy towards the existing fabric, preserving its most significant elements and reinforcing their visibility within the new programme. The new extension is clearly contemporary in character and deliberately distinct from the original buildings. Rather than imitating the historic architecture, it establishes a measured dialogue with it, allowing old and new to coexist as parts of a single coherent whole.
Functional layout
The internal organisation adapts the former industrial spaces to contemporary academic requirements. Teaching areas are located within the refurbished halls, taking advantage of their original proportions and structural logic. The new building concentrates complementary functions and support spaces, enabling the historic structures to remain largely unaltered. This approach preserves the spatial qualities of the original complex while ensuring full compliance with current standards for accessibility, services and comfort. The result is a flexible facility capable of responding to evolving educational needs.
Construction approach
The intervention combines the restoration of existing elements with the incorporation of modern construction systems. The brick façades and ceramic baseboards are restored and enhanced, while the new structures and partitions are expressed through contemporary materials and techniques, avoiding any confusion between the original and the added elements. This duality in construction ensures that today's technical requirements—accessibility, facilities, comfort, and safety—are met without altering the identity of the complex.
Linking Past and Present
The intervention maintains the full height of the main nave in the entrance area, creating a spacious and impressive arrival space that preserves the original volume of the historic building. This area integrates the new staircase and establishes the first connection between the renovated halls and the new floor space, providing a clear understanding of the overall layout of the complex. Designed as a meeting and reception area, it acts as a transition between the building's industrial past and its new university use, reinforcing the public nature of the facility and the unified interpretation of the entire intervention.
