Concrete pavilion with full-width window facing cedar slump.

Hidalgo Tané Designs Prefab Concrete Pavilion in Girona

2026-06-21

The Prefab Pavilion designed by Jordi Hidalgo Tané in Olot, Girona, marries architectural precision with natural beauty. Constructed around a centuries-old cedar tree, this project was shaped by three compelling constraints: municipal regulations on its position and volume, a geobiological study determining its interior layout, and the time-bounded necessity for prefabricated materials. These necessities crafted an architectural marvel, rather than hindering its development.

This pavilion utilizes prefabricated concrete to reflect its proximity to an industrial park. The choice nods to the surrounding environment while bringing an unexpected elegance to domestic architecture. The building, with its concrete panels, shares a material connection to nearby warehouses, yet it achieves a distinct spatial quality—one that is defined by elegance and precision.

Skylight in the form of an inverted pyramid illuminates concrete floor. — The inverted pyramid of the skylight channels zenithal light onto the polished concrete floor below.

Detail in design and light

Technical ambitions flourish in the paneling of this pavilion. Attention was meticulously given to panel assemblies and how corners are articulated—detailing often overlooked in typical industrial designs. Outside, the structure presents a light, controlled appearance whereas the interior feels dense, as light plays on and through the panels. The articulation across thresholds highlights the designer’s flair for transforming typical industrial elements into features of precision.

Cedar canopy extends over garden and roof, blurring boundaries. — The cedar canopy extends over both garden and roof — the boundary between built and grown is deliberately unclear.

A living tribute to the cedar

The cedar tree commands the pavilion’s spatial choreography. Every internal decision, from the glazed walls to the central rooflight, frames the tree as a continuous presence, weaving its natural beauty into the home’s daily experience. Though the geobiological study governed the configuration, the cedar lends emotional coherence to the design, linking the indoor and outdoor realms fluidly.

Sunlight and firelight enter through glazed wall and wooden fire. — Afternoon warmth enters from two directions: the glazed wall to the west, the fire to the right.

The efficiency of prefabrication

This pavilion champions off-site fabrication’s potential in residential architecture. Constructed over six months, assembled in just five days, and occupied three months later, it exemplifies the benefits of precision and reduced risk in prefabrication. Contrasting with traditional methods, it echoes designs like Casa 144 by Jaime Prous Architects that show the profound impact of prepared planning.

For another take on minimalist Japanese interiors, see how a Tokyo townhouse reimagined exposed timber using similar construction techniques.

The project, completed on a modest €150,000 budget, does not compromise on quality. Every element—from the bespoke fireplace to the polished concrete floor—was placed purposefully, a testament to careful decision-making rather than austerity. This approach aligns with concepts seen in Casa GA by Archiplanstudio, where industrial methods find unexpected kinship with residential warmth.

Building façade mirrors surrounding garden, blending indoors and outdoors. — The façade reflects the garden it looks onto — indoors and outdoors merge at the glass plane.

Through the layering of constraints and meticulous attention to detail, the pavilion achieves a unique interior atmosphere. The concrete’s tactile texture and varying light absorption create a space that feels complete, as if any addition would unsettle its harmony. Through dedicated accuracy, stringent regulations and environmental studies have catalyzed, not restricted, architectural excellence.

Person observes skylight while others tend to firelight indoors. — One figure looks up at the skylight while the others attend to the fire — two relationships to light in one frame.

In embracing constraints with intelligence, the pavilion embodies an argument for innovation within boundaries. It questions the place of geobiological studies in modern design, suggesting their potential value in nuanced architectural expressions. Whether you view this as convergence or the skill of an adept architect, the pavilion confirms that disciplined inquiry into design assumptions can yield spaces of profound beauty.