Rationalism is an avant-garde movement that emerged in the context of desolation and destruction caused by World War I. It spread throughout Europe between 1925 and 1940. Rationalism sought the standardization and prefabrication of construction elements. It was characterized by the suppression of ornament, the use of simple and orthogonal geometric shapes adapted to the function of living spaces. It had a strong dynamic and plastic component. The range of colors was also restricted, using red, yellow and blue, along with black, gray and white, although in Spain it was common to use ocher and beige. The new materials of the time prevailed, such as concrete, glass and steel. Rationalist buildings usually have a free ground floor, raised on pilotis (pillars), although this is not the case of this residence. The flat roof, present in this work, is another of the characteristic features of this type of architecture.

The Railway Pensioners’ Residence has an H-shaped plan, with a north-south axis of symmetry. The rooms are spread out in the three arms of the construction. The central trunk is twinned with a body that houses the community services, where the kitchen and library are located in the basement, the infirmary and the large dining room on the ground floor, the gym and the double-height chapel on the first floor, while The choir and therapeutic services are located on the third floor. In the side wings are the rooms accessed through a central hallway, which culminate in common rooms with a curved shape, giving great plasticity to the complex. Important overhangs configure the terraces of the rooms, accentuating the horizontality of the composition thanks to the shadow lines, forming a series of continuous balconies separated by screens.

The benign climate of Sant Joan and our splendid location have meant that the municipality is traditionally linked to peace and tranquility. For this reason, numerous residences for the elderly have been established in the population. The entire building is designed taking into account the exterior spaces, both the private areas with their terraces and the rest of the rooms that have large wooden windows. To the east of the property there is still a citrus orchard and in the northeast is the Pinada garden. Palm trees and pines along with other species surround the residential complex, turning its 188 available spaces into an ideal place to hang up your habits and dedicate yourself to the good life.