The Whole Process.
María Angelica Community Center
The proposal aims to transform the social reality of children and teenagers by giving support through after-school programs focused on sports, motivation, responsibility, and healthy habits.
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Berazategui, Buenos Aires. Argentina. | ARG 005 | |
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250 mts.2 |  |
Finished: September 1, 2022. |
| Phase | In use. | Type | Community facilities. |
| Target Group | Children. | Partner | Berazategui Municipality. Montana Service AS. |
| Client | Club Social y deportivo Maria Angelica. | Donor | Private donor. |
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Upcycing, recycling and sourcing local materials, bioclimatic design. | ||
1. Observe.
Why, context, challenge.
Sports, community and everyday life.
In the Villa Angélica neighborhood, the club has served for more than thirty years as a space for gathering, support, and community development. Beyond sports practice, Club María Angélica has become a place where children and families find care, education, and social connection through recreational, educational, and cultural activities.
As the football school expanded and new disciplines were incorporated, the existing facilities became insufficient to support the club’s daily dynamics. There was a lack of adequate changing rooms, sanitary facilities, and especially spaces for the so-called “third half”: the moment after training sessions and matches when the community stays, shares, rests, and strengthens social bonds.
Social Infrastructure Through Sustainable Design. The project’s challenge was to create an infrastructure capable of responding to the neighborhood’s social and sports-related needs while incorporating an environmentally conscious approach based on the intelligent use of recycled materials and low-impact construction systems.
2. Identify.
Who, target, user, facts.
+30
• +30 years of community work and social activities in the Villa Angélica neighborhood.
140
• 140 children currently participate in the club’s sports and recreational programs.
1
• 1 community space combining sports, education, food assistance, and social support.
3. Approach.
How, strategy, interact
Recycled materials and social infrastructure
The project is based on a simple premise: demonstrating that social architecture can be efficient, accessible, and environmentally responsible. Conceived as a flexible, low-maintenance infrastructure, the building supports intensive daily use while clearly organizing sports and community activities within the same structure.Bioclimatic strategies were integrated throughout the design, prioritizing natural and cross ventilation, passive thermal control, and daylight to improve comfort and reduce energy consumption. A key aspect of the project is the reuse of discarded industrial materials. The main structure was built using decommissioned pipes from the oil and gas industry, while roof sheets were recovered from a dismantled factory. Floors were produced with defective ceramic tiles discarded by manufacturers.
4. Design.
Programmering, development, co-create.
The project is developed as a large covered pavilion designed to strengthen the community life of both the club and the neighborhood. The architecture brings together changing rooms, sanitary facilities, a kitchen, and a multipurpose hall within an open, flexible structure adaptable to different activities.The multipurpose hall functions as a community dining space and gathering place for children, families, and neighbors, while also accommodating workshops, cultural events, recreational activities, local markets, and community celebrations. In this way, the proposal expands the traditional role of the sports club, transforming it into an active social infrastructure throughout the day.
A pavilion for sports, gathering and community life: The architecture aims to create simple, durable, and luminous spaces suitable for collective use. Cross ventilation, large roof structures, and recycled materials shape an identity connected to community work and the conscious reuse of resources.More than a sports building, the project proposes a place of belonging and encounter for the neighborhood: an architecture capable of supporting community growth and fostering new forms of social interaction through sports and collective participation.
5. Implement.
Work in the field.
At AUG, we uphold the highest standards of integrity. We prevent dishonesty, corruption, and misconduct in all operations. Every donation is used responsibly to support communities, always impartially, without favoring any political party or religion.
6. Evaluate.
Results.
UN sustainability goals
Who participate
Quique Bayarri Sabariego
Architect - Project Achitect - quique@augnorge.org
Quique Bayarri holds a degree in architecture from the Universitat Politècnica de València, with additional studies in Delft, Madrid, and Granada. Quique has extensive and solid experience at Norwegian architectural firms, ranging from concept development to the execution phase of both residential and office buildings. He has been collaborating with Architects Without Borders Norway (AUG) since 2017 and has been a board member since 2018. He is equally dedicated to finding the best concept for a project as he is to its expression through detailed construction work. With a particular interest in sustainable architecture and construction techniques, he firmly believes that architecture must be influenced by the place where it is built and designed with a primary focus on the users. Quique uses photography as an active tool to explore architecture and the reality around us.
Paola Bornaschella
Architect - Design Director - paola@augnorge.org
Paola holds a master’s degree in architecture from the Faculty of Architecture, Design, and Urbanism at the University of Buenos Aires in Argentina. Paola has a solid experience in architectural design across all phases and scales—from small private buildings to large, complex projects such as masterplans, healthcare facilities, and multifunctional buildings. Paola is a founder, the current design director, and board member of AUG. She is passionate about social architecture. Guided by the belief that architecture is a powerful tool for social change, she advocates for inclusive design that fosters safety, dignity, and equal opportunity—especially in communities where it's needed most.
Melina Cauchich
Architect - Local Architect - melina@augnorge.org
Melina Cauchich is an architect with complementary training in Fine Arts and extensive experience in planning and executing civil works, gained through more than ten years of work in architectural firms and the infrastructure department of a multinational company. Since 2016, she has been part of Architects Without Borders, playing a key role as a liaison between local communities in Argentina and the team of architects in Norway (AUG). Her work focuses on identifying needs, developing comprehensive projects, and supporting their implementation—always prioritizing collaboration and a positive social impact in favor of sustainable and inclusive architecture.
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