Rationalism is an avant-garde movement that arose in the context of desolation and destruction caused by the First World War. It spread through Europe between 1925 and 1940. Rationalism sought the standardization and prefabrication of construction elements. It was characterized by the suppression of ornaments, the use of simple and orthogonal geometric shapes adapted to the function of the inhabitable spaces. It had a strong dynamic and plastic component. The colour range was also restricted using red, yellow and blue, together with black, grey and white, although in Spain the use of ochre and beige was frequent. New materials of that period such as concrete, glass and steel prevailed. Rationalist buildings often have the ground floor free, raised on pillars, although it is not the case of this residence. The flat roof, present in this work, is one of the characteristic features of such architectures.
The Residència de Pensionistes Ferroviaris (Residence of Railway Pensioners) has an H-shaped floor with a north-south axis of symmetry. The rooms are spread out in the three arms of the construction. The central trunk houses the community services. The kitchen and the library are located in the basement, the infirmary and the large dining room are on the ground floor, the gym and the two-floor chapel are on the first floor, while the choir and the therapeutic services are located on the third floor. In the side wings there are bedrooms, which are accessible by a central corridor, which ends in common rooms with curved shape, giving great plasticity to the ensemble. Important corbels shape the terraces of the rooms, accentuating the horizontal alignment of the composition through shadow lines, forming a series of adjoining balconies separated by panels.
Sant Joan has been traditionally linked to peace and tranquillity thanks to the warm climate and our splendid location. For that reason many residences for the elderly have been built in the municipality. The whole building has been projected taking the outdoor spaces into account, both in private areas with terraces and in the other rooms with large wooden windows. On the east of the property there is still a citrus grove and on the north-east the garden of La Pinada is located. Palm and pine trees along with other species surround the residential complex, making it with its 188 available vacancies an ideal place to retire and enjoy the good life.