The Casa del Niño

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria · Category: Routes · Subcategory: Rationalism route · Year: 1937 · Authors: Miguel Martín-Fernández de la Torre

This is a children's refuge and educational centre, and was built on the outskirts of the city, on the hillside of the Vega de San José, which up to that time was mainly used for cultivation purposes. It was donated by the Count of Vega Grande in order to "give support to needy children and to help them in their development". It started functioning as such in the postwar period.

Several different sized buildings make up this piece, giving it a built up appearance, as well as articulating the outside spaces created. The main building is composed of two prismatic blocks, similar in shape but slightly different sizes, which run into eachother and define the proportion of the resulting open spaces. They are two highly functional style blocks, with a passageway running down a slope to the classrooms and bedrooms to the east, overlooking the sea. 

Other blocks are built onto these which contain other rooms, and stairs, showing up the added on parts.

Articulating and delimiting the outer spaces are other buildings at an octagonal angle to the previous ones. Two of these, namely the chapel and the events hall, incorporate a compositive mixture to the whole, with the projects and works undergoing considerable modifications. The afore-mentioned events hall borders the "walkway" along its north side, while at its intersection with the male pavillion is the main entrance; its façades make a clear reference to "set design" architectural features.

It is at this point that the teachers' rooms tower emerges, with an appearance of not just providing strict functionality, but with a artistic and sculptural composition. The tower actually reinforces the contrast with the horizontal composition of the building, while acquiring a landmark status within the surrounding area, making it the most famous part of the whole building.

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