Before designing a public building like the one required in this competition, it is necessary to ask a question:
What should a place for the community be like?
Open, for all ages, a place of exchange, accessible, safe and protected, bright, ventilated, durable, familiar, green, robust, lively but not noisy, welcoming, surprising, comfortable, exciting, inspiring.

Starting from these principles, the design of the building and its spaces becomes evident. La Llar is born with the aim of becoming a meeting and connection point for the inhabitants of Biar. It seeks to host the already existing associations and, at the same time, to be a space where new initiatives can emerge and develop. Biar is not only its territory and its history, but above all the people and the bonds that unite them.
This house, conceived as the home of everyone, is presented as a container, largely empty, designed to accommodate ideas and needs that evolve over time. Despite being divided into two bodies, the building shares a single main entrance, which highlights its unifying character and its intention to promote the cultural and associative dimension of the citizens. Reusing a building that for many inhabitants “has always been there” reinforces the sense of belonging and invites the community to rediscover this place with a new perspective. The preservation of the existing building, intended to house the auditorium, is not limited to a symbolic gesture, but is complemented by a careful functional readjustment.
The empty space resulting from the removal of the floor slabs and interior partitions has made it possible to create a large, open area, ideal for hosting more than 400 people. The existing walls, stripped of their structural function, become containers and scenic backdrops, thanks to the incorporation of a new metal structure that supports the roof beams. The latter has been lightened and optimized, replacing the original stratigraphy with a lighter and more efficient solution, without altering the traditional appearance of the gabled roof. La Llar de Biar is not only a space dedicated to culture, music and folklore, but a lively and multifaceted place, designed to be attractive on multiple levels.
Its purpose is to respond to the needs of people of all ages, offering a wide range of activities and services. It can host theatre performances, film screenings, regional events and, why not, offer suitable spaces for teleworking and meetings, featuring a digital infrastructure that meets modern needs.
This makes it not only a cultural centre, but also a space capable of promoting inclusion and innovation, encouraging citizens to build stronger bonds and collaborate actively. Today, this space represents the materialization of a balance between creation and recovery: a new place, born from pre-existing spaces.
Tomorrow it will be a new reference among the public spaces of Biar, a key place for the community and a symbol of the transformative power of collaboration. The aim of the project is not limited to fulfilling a practical function, but seeks to meet the need for identity, connection and belonging, turning La Llar into a driving force for the future of Biar.