Pista Jardí EN

Pista Jardí de Maçanet de la Selva

The Pista Jardí is one of the key community facilities in the municipality of Maçanet de la Selva. Built through the effort and enthusiasm of the entire town, it provided residents from the very beginning with a unique setting in which to host all kinds of events throughout the year. From 1949 to the present day, Pista Jardí has been the venue not only for the town’s major festivals, but also for nearly all the dances, seniors’ festivals, children's and cultural activities, theatre and film performances, dance and sardana classes, summer camps, and even boxing matches. Virtually all leisure and cultural activities in the years following its inauguration were held at Pista Jardí.

The location chosen for Pista Jardí was no coincidence. It was built on a rural plot recently acquired by the local Society, very close to its social headquarters, in a place full of symbolism — the traditional site where the town’s marquee was set up during celebrations. Moreover, the land was located along the path connecting the village to the cemetery, right on the edge between the historic centre and the surrounding countryside, placing the new structure in a transitional zone between the consolidated urban core and the open landscape.

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Historical photographs. 1949 Construction of the Pista Jardí. 1949 The Pista Jardí receives its final touches, with its inauguration fast approaching.

The construction of the Pista Jardí was a key initiative driven by the cultural and recreational association Societat Recreativa “Unió Maçanetenca”, founded in 1915 with the aim of putting an end to rivalries among the youth of Maçanet. This project took shape in the late 1940s, during a period of social and territorial consolidation for the association.

Historical photographs. 1953 Detail of the Pista Jardí with the wooden box seat railings. 1953 The Pista Jardí in the early years after its construction.

Formally, the Pista Jardí was conceived as a rectangular agora, with box seating areas on all four sides, a small stage on one end, and a large open central space. This kind of agora was enclosed by a series of stone arcades, coated with lime mortar and topped with ceramic roof tiles. Inside each arch, a ceramic lattice element was installed. The railings consisted of wooden balusters that separated the boxes from the central area.

The original rectangular volume of the arena consists of a wall with a sequence of arcades and box seats surrounding the central court. The wall is rendered in white plaster and crowned with traditional Arab-style roof tiles. Within the arcades, ceramic latticework elements serve both as visual filters between the inside and outside of the Pista and as protective railings for the box seats. The main entrance is located at the corner that connects to the historic town centre, and it is the only point along the perimeter wall where the orthogonal geometry is interrupted. Additionally, there are two more access points to the interior of the Pista, located at the ends of the north façade, providing access through the arches to the bar and restroom areas.

Historical photographs. 1960 Partial view of the Pista Jardí. 1967 Children's games at the Pista Jardí.

The lighting of the complex featured two distinct types of luminaires. On one hand, the box seating areas were lit by wall-mounted fixtures placed between the arches. On the other hand, the central court was illuminated by hanging lights suspended from tensioned cables stretched across the width of the arena, which were barely noticeable. The series of arcades that form the enclosing wall of the Pista give the space—and the village itself—a distinctive character. This façade has become an enduring symbol of the town during major festivities and celebrations over the years.

Main urban axes

In its early days, the town of Maçanet developed along an old path running parallel to the current main road. The proximity to the road—and later, to the motorway—on the southern edge of the town led to urban expansion toward the northern part of the municipality, specifically in the direction of the town’s cemetery. This northward development transformed the old cemetery path (now Avinguda Catalunya) into the town’s new main axis. Today, Avinguda Catalunya links the church square and the cemetery, one at each end, and concentrates the majority of the town’s public facilities and green spaces, including the Pista Jardí.

Municipal Facilities

The Pista Jardí is located in a strategic position within the urban fabric of the municipality, in direct contact with the historic center and connected to one of the main axes of facilities and public spaces: Avinguda Catalunya. This axis hosts a significant concentration of educational, sports, cultural, and social facilities, such as the La Societat theater, the municipal library, the Church of Sant Llorenç, the Can Falló social services, and the La Trincheria civic center. The location of Pista Jardí, in this context, gives it great potential as a space of connection and centrality within the community life of the town. Furthermore, its proximity to the main municipal services and its accessibility from various parts of the urban fabric reinforce its value as a meeting point and a key element in the organization of the public facilities area.

Municipal Green Areas

1950

1970

1980

Historical Evolution Pista Jardí. 1950 - 1980

Over the years, the Pista Jardí has undergone several transformations that reflect both changes in the social use of the space and the needs for maintenance and adaptation to new times. Since its construction in the late 1940s, this emblematic venue has progressively evolved, with specific interventions that have altered its structure, materials, and even its relationship with the surrounding environment.

During the 1950s, at the peak of the Pista Jardí’s activity and splendor, several structural improvements were made. First, a perimeter fence about one and a half meters high was built, with pilasters, enclosing the entire site. The most notable feature was the main entrance, where the fence was raised and included a large semicircular arch, consistent with the arches that characterized the interior architecture of the venue. Next to this entrance, a space was also set up for the ticket office to manage access to the site. Years later, the interior of the venue was modified by replacing the original wooden railings with metal ones painted green and yellow, likely for durability reasons. The wooden gate of the outer fence was also renewed in a later intervention.

During the 1970s, the stage of the Pista Jardí was renovated. The structure was expanded, occupying two of the facade’s arches and extending up to the boundary of the outer fence. Additionally, two side rooms were added, increasing the space’s functionality for theatrical activities and internal organization.

At some point in the 1980s, the interior latticework of the arches was changed. The original lattice, made of red ceramic pieces with triangular shapes, was replaced by prefabricated concrete with square pieces and a central circle that substantially altered the overall image. Around the same time, the outer fence was again intervened, specifically on the section facing Avinguda Catalunya. In this area, the wall was renewed, and a superior latticework was also incorporated, made of prefabricated concrete but with a different design from that applied to the interior arches.

1993

2000-2004

2006-2009

Historical Evolution Pista Jardí. 1993-2009

After several years of degradation and abandonment, an important rehabilitation of the Pista Jardí was carried out in 1993. The flooring was completely renewed, the railings and capping tiles were replaced, and the lattices on the arches were changed to prefabricated concrete ones with a floral design, consisting of repeated circles. This intervention also included the addition of two large metal gates—one at the entrance and another at the large arch of the fence—decorated with the Maçanet coat of arms, as well as the adaptation of two arches on the north façade to provide access to the boxes.

During the 2000s, the transformations focused on improving internal services and the exterior environment. The side rooms of the stage were expanded to include dressing rooms, and a rear door was added to facilitate access from the back of the venue. These works led to two adjacent arches being partially walled off by the new volume. At the same time, the landscape was renovated, replacing the old mulberry trees with ornamental species: white poplars in the central area, cypress trees at the corners, and white mulberries on one side. Vegetation was also planted along the plot boundaries, and a new rectangular building with a tiled roof was constructed, intended as a bar/cafeteria and public services.

Over time, the number of mulberry trees was reduced due to excessive growth, and accessibility improvements were made to both the boxes and the stage. The latest major intervention occurred in 2009, with the installation of a textile canopy covering the entire Pista. This structure, featuring a double-pitched roof, is supported by a perimeter metal framework and two large central pillars, providing protection and expanding the possibilities for using the space in adverse weather conditions.

The proposal for the new Pista Jardí is based on a clear intention to enhance the original building, update its functionalities, and restore its character as a public space integrated within the garden. This intervention is founded on four main criteria that guide the project at formal, functional, landscape, and social levels.

First, the goal is to recover the original formality that characterized Pista Jardí as a symbolic and architectural landmark of the municipality. This involves highlighting the most emblematic elements, such as the arches, lattices, and boxes, as well as restoring the initial volumetry, with a rectangular and free-standing shape within the garden. In this way, the added volume of the stage and dressing rooms, which distorted the purity of the original proposal, is planned to be removed, reinforcing its presence as a singular element within the green landscape.

The second criterion consists of expanding and adapting the boxes and the stage to improve accessibility and increase audience capacity. It is planned to enlarge both the boxes and the rear circulation areas, making them accessible to people with reduced mobility. A new line of boxes is also incorporated, located in front of the existing ones and at an intermediate height between the platform and the ground, with the aim of offering better visibility and greater comfort for spectators. Additionally, the stage is relocated to a central position within the space, allowing for a better distribution of the audience and a more balanced staging.

Thirdly, emphasis is placed on restoring the garden value of the site. This translates into a clear commitment to partial de-urbanization, replacing the hard pavement with compacted gravel paving, which improves water management and allows for the integration of ground-cover vegetation. Seating areas with urban furniture are also created, strategically located among the existing vegetation, which is preserved as much as possible. Regarding materials, original elements of the building such as lime mortar, ceramics, and Arabic tiles are restored, while new materials like wood and steel are incorporated, used with techniques respectful of the original spirit but adapted to current requirements.

Finally, pedestrian flows before, during, and after events are rethought with the aim of improving functionality and ensuring a safe and pleasant experience. A redistribution of access points to the interior of the venue is proposed to avoid crowding and facilitate mobility. At the same time, the intention is to promote the use of the surroundings as a multifunctional public space, where the garden can function both when the Pista is open and closed, offering various activities and uses spread throughout the site.