Reflections of the teaching staff. Space as a learning element. 50 years of the EADT building

The architecture of schools has traditionally been analysed from a functional perspective, focused on criteria of efficiency, capacity and regulatory adequacy. However, since the mid-20th century, various architectural and pedagogical currents have claimed the active role of space in learning processes, and have understood it as an element capable of influencing the cognitive, emotional and social development of students. In this context, the building of the School of Art and Design of the Diputación in Tarragona (EADT) constitutes a particularly relevant case study.

In the 2025-2026 academic year, the building is celebrating its 50th anniversary, an event that allows it to be addressed not only as a teaching infrastructure, but as a pedagogical and cultural device. This article (version in Catalan and Spanish) proposes an analysis of the building from the perspective of educational architecture, and relates its historical context, formal and spatial characteristics, and the pedagogical approaches that understand space as an integral part of the educational process.