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The project increases the quality of the neighborhood’s urban space, thanks to a façade that dialogues with its context
Poblenou is a multifaceted neighborhood in Barcelona: with a soul from its industrial past and now divided between art venues and digital and hi-tech businesses, it is currently undergoing a moment of great change that has not yet taken a clear direction.
The barrio’s redevelopment began about 20 years ago, with the 22@ Barcelona project, a municipal plan aimed at transforming the industrial parts of the area into an innovation district, thus creating a “new city.”
The project was unable, however, to clearly define the identity of this urban area, which today features a mix of buildings and architectures with the most varied characters, composing one of the peculiarities of the zone. It is still possible to identify the urban layout developed according to the rigid square grid that recalls Ildefonso Cerdà’s approach for the nearby Eixample district.
At the corner of one of these blocks, the BAAS architects were commissioned to design an office building.
The architecture designed by the architects seeks to define the urban block, following the ideal grid perimeter: an expedient that aims to create a dialogue with the context and improve the quality of urban space.
The building is composed of two bodies: a taller one on the outside of the lot, and a smaller and more intimate volume at the back in an interior position.
The colors, volumes, and materials were selected to fit into the context in a natural way, recalling the characteristics of the surrounding architecture. The composition of the larger building was designed to create continuity between the street and the building, with a stepped form that gradually recedes as the floors increase.
The façade is characterized by geometric forms and a clear regular articulation: the full-height openings are punctuated by pillars that mark many vertical half-pillars on the façade, while the stringcourses, protruding from the building outline, help create a solemn and regular rhythm. The façade cladding increases the majesty of the composition, thanks to the materiality of the surfaces. The ecological bio-bricks used evoke the finishings of other industrial buildings in the area, while the lime mortar with flush joints emphasizes the monolithic nature of the building.
The building is fully equipped with natural ventilation, thanks to the possibility of opening the large windows that allow users to engage with the street even further.
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The stepped composition of the main building allows for large terraces on each floor, where users can work outdoors. There is also a communal rooftop on the top floor for moments of relaxation and community.
The covering of the smaller building is a green roof, one of the many devices designed to increase the sustainability of the architecture. In addition to this, there are solar panels, automatic sensors to regulate climactic comfort and lighting intensity, automated solar screens, and the use of local or naturally sourced materials.
Location: Barcellona, Spain
Architects and concept: BAAS
Client: Conren Tramway
Completion: 2022
Gross Floor Area: 15,000 m2
Photography by Gregori Civera, courtesy of BAAS
