Formentera has moved forward with plans to transform the park and school playground at CEIP El Pilar in La Mola into a new climate shelter and community space designed to provide greater protection from heat while creating a greener and more inclusive environment.

The Consell de Formentera has now put the works out to tender, with a base budget of €497,267.45 including VAT and an eight-month construction period.

The project is intended to serve both the school community and local residents, turning the outdoor area into a more comfortable space during hot weather while allowing it to remain available as a place for community use outside school hours.

A greener school environment for La Mola

The planned intervention covers the urban park and the playground of CEIP El Pilar, with the aim of adapting the existing space to increasingly challenging climate conditions.

The project has been designed by Voltes Cooperativa d'Arquitectura and focuses heavily on renaturalising the area.

More vegetation and shaded areas are planned throughout the space, helping reduce the impact of high temperatures and improving thermal comfort for children and other users.

The redesign is not limited to adding greenery. It also aims to reorganise the existing environment so that it becomes more practical, welcoming and adaptable.

Designed as a climate shelter

A climate shelter is intended to provide a more comfortable place for people during periods of extreme heat.

At El Pilar, the concept combines environmental improvements with the everyday needs of a school and the wider community.

The project will create additional shaded and landscaped areas where children can spend time outdoors in more comfortable conditions.

The intention is for the park and school courtyard to work as a connected space that can help mitigate the effects of heat while offering opportunities for recreation, meeting and social interaction.

More inclusive play and meeting spaces

The redesign also places emphasis on accessibility and inclusion.

The project includes new and reorganised spaces for play and gathering, with the aim of making them more inclusive for children and more useful for families and residents.

The changes are expected to create a more varied outdoor environment rather than simply replacing existing surfaces.

The Consell says the result should be an area that is more functional for pupils during the school day and more welcoming to the public outside school hours.

The space will serve the wider community

One of the most important aspects of the project is its dual use.

During school hours, the transformed area will provide pupils with a more comfortable outdoor environment.

Outside teaching hours, the intention is for the wider community of La Mola to be able to use the space as a place for socialising, playing and spending time outdoors.

This approach reflects the broader objective of making public infrastructure useful beyond a single function.

Rather than treating the school playground as an isolated educational facility, the project integrates it with the surrounding urban park and the village.

The project follows months of preparation

The climate shelter initiative has been in development since the first half of 2026.

The Consell presented the project publicly in March, when residents and members of the educational community were given the opportunity to learn about the proposed transformation.

The project was initially placed on public display, allowing citizens to review the plans and submit suggestions or objections.

The formal tender now represents the next stage, moving the proposal from planning towards construction.

Nearly €500,000 tender

The current tender has a base budget of €497,267.45, including VAT, according to the published procurement information.

Companies interested in carrying out the works can submit their bids until September 21, 2026.

The contract establishes an execution period of eight months.

The tender has been published through Spain's Public Sector Procurement Platform, meaning the project is now formally open to competing contractors.

A wider investment in climate adaptation

The El Pilar project forms part of a broader effort to adapt public spaces to rising temperatures and increasingly challenging climatic conditions.

Formentera's exposed outdoor spaces can become particularly uncomfortable during the hottest parts of the year.

Adding vegetation, shade and areas designed around thermal comfort can make those spaces more usable while also changing the character of the surrounding environment.

The project therefore combines climate adaptation with urban design, education and community use.

Earlier funding agreement was larger than the current tender

There is an important distinction between the overall funding announced earlier this year and the current construction tender.

In March, the Balearic Government and the Consell de Formentera announced a joint funding agreement of €621,943.49 for the wider transformation project.

The current tender for the works has a base budget of €497,267.45 including VAT.

The difference reflects the fact that the wider project is intended to be executed in phases and that the tender now published corresponds to a specific stage of the planned works.

What will change at El Pilar?

The transformation will bring several visible changes to the outdoor areas around the school.

The park and playground will receive additional vegetation and shaded areas, while existing spaces will be reorganised to improve accessibility and functionality.

Areas for sitting, meeting and playing will also be incorporated into the design.

The overall objective is to create a space that feels more natural and comfortable while remaining practical for everyday school use.

A project shaped around La Mola

The climate shelter is being designed specifically for the village and its community.

The project team has worked with sustainability, coeducation and community coexistence as key principles.

That means the transformation is intended to address more than the physical problem of heat.

It also aims to create an environment where children, families and residents can spend time together and where different activities can take place throughout the day.

For a small community such as La Mola, that multifunctional aspect could make the renovated area an important piece of public infrastructure.

Next step is selecting the contractor

With the tender now open, the immediate next step is the evaluation of the bids submitted by construction companies.

The deadline for proposals is September 21.

Once the contractor has been selected and the necessary procedures completed, the eight-month construction period can begin.

The final completion date will therefore depend on when the contract is formally awarded and works commence.

A climate-focused upgrade for one of Formentera's schools

The transformation of CEIP El Pilar represents an effort to rethink how school and public spaces can respond to warmer conditions.

Instead of relying primarily on conventional hard-surfaced outdoor areas, the project proposes a greener environment with more shade, vegetation and spaces designed for rest and play.

For students, the aim is a more comfortable setting during the school day.

For families and residents, the project promises a community space that remains active beyond school hours.

As the tender process begins, the long-planned climate shelter at La Mola is now one step closer to becoming a reality.

Key Facts

• Location: CEIP El Pilar, La Mola, Formentera

• Project: Transformation of the school playground and urban park into a climate shelter and community space

• Tender budget: €497,267.45 including VAT

• Construction period: 8 months

• Architect: Voltes Cooperativa d'Arquitectura

• Main features: More vegetation, shaded areas, meeting spaces and more inclusive play areas

• Intended users: Students, families and residents of La Mola

• Tender published: Public Sector Procurement Platform

• Bid deadline: September 21, 2026

• Earlier wider funding agreement: €621,943.49 from the Balearic Government and Consell de Formentera

• Project status: Construction works currently out to tender