Location & Infrastructure
- The Land
- The Caseta (house and studio)
- Sustainability and Architecture
- Paüls and Surrounding Area
The CGC will be built on a rural finca surrounded by olive and almond orchards, situated inside the Parc natural dels Ports and 2km from the village of Paüls, a small town tucked into the mountains, equidistant between Barcelona, Valencia and Zaragoza, Spain.
For more information about the land, the caseta, sustainability, our architectural team, and the surrounding area - visit the Location & Infrastructure page.
For more information about the land, the caseta, sustainability, our architectural team, and the surrounding area - visit the Location & Infrastructure page.
THE LAND:
Ensconced in the national park and in a valley surrounded by both worked olives, almond and cherry trees, as well as wild pine forests, the CGC sits a short walk from the mountain village of Paüls.
The property consists of approximately 5 hectares (12 acres) of olive and almond orchards currently in production, as well as uncultivated pine forest.
The grounds will have an organic permaculture vegetable and fruit garden, including local heritage varieties. The CGC will also produce its own extra virgin olive oil from the ground’s olives.
Ensconced in the national park and in a valley surrounded by both worked olives, almond and cherry trees, as well as wild pine forests, the CGC sits a short walk from the mountain village of Paüls.
The property consists of approximately 5 hectares (12 acres) of olive and almond orchards currently in production, as well as uncultivated pine forest.
The grounds will have an organic permaculture vegetable and fruit garden, including local heritage varieties. The CGC will also produce its own extra virgin olive oil from the ground’s olives.
THE CASETA:
The CGC will provide the perfect balance of tranquillity, isolation, and inspirational nature, with community, and modern facilities.
Situated at the top of the hill among the olive and almond orchards, the caseta de Serafí (small traditional stone house) consists of two separate but adjoining structures totalling 80m2.
The property will be designed, landscaped, and renovated working with a skilled local, national, and international team of architects, designers, sound engineers and recording technicians.
Once refurbished, the caseta will include a rehearsal space with beautiful natural acoustics, designed specifically to record classical guitar in various formations, and an adjoining small house, allowing for a space to relax and mingle on-site.
The rehearsal and recording space will be in a rectangular stone structure with a high-pitched roof, fitted with video and audio recording capabilities, designed specifically with the intention to record classical guitar in various formations.
On-site facilities will be provided in the adjoining traditional stone house of approximately 40m2, constructed on two floors with a kitchenette, bathroom and living facilities.
The infrastructure created by the CGC will allow for a variety of curated cultural events, as well as a number of activities highlighting the classical guitar including masterclasses, concerts, recordings, talks, and lectures, held both on-site and in the surrounding area, live and on-line.
The CGC will provide the perfect balance of tranquillity, isolation, and inspirational nature, with community, and modern facilities.
Situated at the top of the hill among the olive and almond orchards, the caseta de Serafí (small traditional stone house) consists of two separate but adjoining structures totalling 80m2.
The property will be designed, landscaped, and renovated working with a skilled local, national, and international team of architects, designers, sound engineers and recording technicians.
Once refurbished, the caseta will include a rehearsal space with beautiful natural acoustics, designed specifically to record classical guitar in various formations, and an adjoining small house, allowing for a space to relax and mingle on-site.
The rehearsal and recording space will be in a rectangular stone structure with a high-pitched roof, fitted with video and audio recording capabilities, designed specifically with the intention to record classical guitar in various formations.
On-site facilities will be provided in the adjoining traditional stone house of approximately 40m2, constructed on two floors with a kitchenette, bathroom and living facilities.
The infrastructure created by the CGC will allow for a variety of curated cultural events, as well as a number of activities highlighting the classical guitar including masterclasses, concerts, recordings, talks, and lectures, held both on-site and in the surrounding area, live and on-line.
Sustainability & Architecture
The belief that we all have a responsibility to do what we can to minimise our impact on the environment and its resources will ensure that the design and running of the CGC at the caseta de Serafí will be as sustainable as possible - powered by the sun, with water from rainwater collection, and heated by wood cut from the land, thereby reusing a by-product of annual pruning the olive and almond trees.
Sharing this belief, the development of the caseta del Serafí and its grounds will be overseen by the internationally renowned American architect, Chad Smith. With his firm, Smith and Architects “create new types of environments that inspire the sublime by having the built environment be something that appears to be grown from nature itself.”
In keeping with the CGC’s ethos of sustainability, Mr. Smith’s range of cultural architecture and landscape projects – from the Performance Theatre for Warner Bros. in Los Angeles to New York City’s High-Line – have maintained the belief that “sustainable communities lead to sustainable lifestyles, [which in turn] lead to a sustainable relationship to the Earth.”
Working with a team including local architects, technical architects, sound engineers, sustainability experts as well as national park and government representatives, Mr. Smith will oversee the design of the buildings and usable outdoor areas, following a desire to connect people to nature.
By combining local traditions and knowledge with international and contemporary practices the CGC will endeavour to always maintain a respectful, sustainable, and functional relationship between the natural space and our interactions with it.
The belief that we all have a responsibility to do what we can to minimise our impact on the environment and its resources will ensure that the design and running of the CGC at the caseta de Serafí will be as sustainable as possible - powered by the sun, with water from rainwater collection, and heated by wood cut from the land, thereby reusing a by-product of annual pruning the olive and almond trees.
Sharing this belief, the development of the caseta del Serafí and its grounds will be overseen by the internationally renowned American architect, Chad Smith. With his firm, Smith and Architects “create new types of environments that inspire the sublime by having the built environment be something that appears to be grown from nature itself.”
In keeping with the CGC’s ethos of sustainability, Mr. Smith’s range of cultural architecture and landscape projects – from the Performance Theatre for Warner Bros. in Los Angeles to New York City’s High-Line – have maintained the belief that “sustainable communities lead to sustainable lifestyles, [which in turn] lead to a sustainable relationship to the Earth.”
Working with a team including local architects, technical architects, sound engineers, sustainability experts as well as national park and government representatives, Mr. Smith will oversee the design of the buildings and usable outdoor areas, following a desire to connect people to nature.
By combining local traditions and knowledge with international and contemporary practices the CGC will endeavour to always maintain a respectful, sustainable, and functional relationship between the natural space and our interactions with it.
Pauls and the Surrounding Area
Paüls - already known in the area as the town of musicians (el poble dels músics) - boasts of a music school, local choir, municipal band, orquestras, and a variety of cultural activities, events, and festivals held throughout the year, including concerts, theatre, dances, and celebrations of local traditions.
In spite of its size, with only 500 inhabitants, the mountain village of Paüls has restaurants and bars, accommodations, a pharmacy and health-care provider, a small corner store and bakery, a weekly fresh fruit and vegetable market, and fishmonger, a bank ATM and 5G mobile phone and fibre optic internet coverage.
As required for visiting artists attending programmes at the CGC, accommodations will be provided in Paüls, and if needed, neighbouring small villages or the regional capital Tortosa. Accommodation options range from Airbnbs, hostels, and hotels including to a 5-star hotel with a Michelin Star restaurant.
Tortosa, the nearest main town (30,000 inhabitants) is the capital city of the comarca (county) of Baix Ebre and is known for its cultural activities with its own jazz festival (https://www.jazztortosa.com/ca/), concert halls, and tradition of choirs, bands and orchestras. The city is famous for its Renaissance Festival in which over 3000 locals in period costumes put on 60 shows a day with over 500 actors, a festival which was declared a Fiesta of National Tourist Interest of Spain in 2005.
https://www.tortosaturisme.cat/en/
The Baix Ebre is a region spanning the delta, where you can see the flamingos nestings as the sun sets over the rice fields, and famous for its…. wine/food/culture/ etc…
https://www.turismebaixebre.cat/en/
Paüls - already known in the area as the town of musicians (el poble dels músics) - boasts of a music school, local choir, municipal band, orquestras, and a variety of cultural activities, events, and festivals held throughout the year, including concerts, theatre, dances, and celebrations of local traditions.
In spite of its size, with only 500 inhabitants, the mountain village of Paüls has restaurants and bars, accommodations, a pharmacy and health-care provider, a small corner store and bakery, a weekly fresh fruit and vegetable market, and fishmonger, a bank ATM and 5G mobile phone and fibre optic internet coverage.
As required for visiting artists attending programmes at the CGC, accommodations will be provided in Paüls, and if needed, neighbouring small villages or the regional capital Tortosa. Accommodation options range from Airbnbs, hostels, and hotels including to a 5-star hotel with a Michelin Star restaurant.
Tortosa, the nearest main town (30,000 inhabitants) is the capital city of the comarca (county) of Baix Ebre and is known for its cultural activities with its own jazz festival (https://www.jazztortosa.com/ca/), concert halls, and tradition of choirs, bands and orchestras. The city is famous for its Renaissance Festival in which over 3000 locals in period costumes put on 60 shows a day with over 500 actors, a festival which was declared a Fiesta of National Tourist Interest of Spain in 2005.
https://www.tortosaturisme.cat/en/
The Baix Ebre is a region spanning the delta, where you can see the flamingos nestings as the sun sets over the rice fields, and famous for its…. wine/food/culture/ etc…
https://www.turismebaixebre.cat/en/