What was the Autodrome canteen like in the 1920s?

Today, we take a look at the history of the Autodrome canteen, which was built for the exclusive use of the staff in the pits and the stables. Unlike current on present-day circuits, this area was closed to the public. It consisted of a small restaurant and bar for the mechanics or car owners whilst their cars were waiting in the pits, ready to take to the track.

¿Cómo era la cantina del Autòdrom en los años veinte?
When we look at the construction of the circuit, we can see that the same style and construction techniques were used across the site. At the time, the architecture and techniques of Le Corbusier were dominant in both Catalonia and Europe.
The year is 1922, and at that time, formwork and reinforced concrete were modern, convenient, fast, efficient, durable and cost-effective techniques. In fact, this was so much so, that the Autodrome took just 300 days to build.

¿Cómo era la cantina del Autòdrom en los años 20?

The technique of using concrete moulds and panels has been used across the site and in perfect condition. Photos from 1922-1923, around the Autodrome’s inauguration, allow us to see that there was a pits canteen and tree kiosks for the general public dotted around the track. One of them is next to the track stewards’ hut, in front of the tower and the grandstand. The second one is at the bottom of the south curve, and the third one is at the north viewpoint.
All of them feature the same techniques, reinforced concrete pillars, formwork and ceramic enclosure walls, developed by the architects Jaume Mestres i Fossas and Josep Maria Martino. Furthermore, the dimensions of all of them – the canteen and the food and drink kiosks by the track – are the same, even in the units of five of each of the groups of pit boxes.
In the second image below, we can see something peculiar and highly significant. Under the house-palace of the Clot dels Frares are stored all the moulds used from the formwork of the stands. This provides us with yet further information about the techniques used to build the Autodrome in such a short space of time.
¿Cómo era la cantina del Autòdrom en los años 20? 1