The renovation of L’Illa Diagonal and the Sant Joan de Déu Gardens is inaugurated
On 18 September we celebrated the inauguration of the renovation of L’Illa Diagonal and the Sant Joan de Déu Gardens, a project by Batlleiroig that updates one of Barcelona’s most important architectural and commercial landmarks.
The event was attended by the Mayor of Barcelona and framed within a festive weekend open to the public, with music, dance, circus and a spectacular tightrope crossing above the gardens, symbolising the new connection between the shopping centre and public space.
Our intervention aimed to open L’Illa to the city and strengthen its relationship with the urban landscape, adapting it to today’s needs and trends while always preserving the building’s original identity —the soul of L’Illa—.
To achieve this, we designed a vegetal pergola nearly 200 metres long, connecting the interior of the centre with the gardens and providing shade, freshness and a unique walking experience, while also creating new outdoor dining areas in dialogue with the Sant Joan de Déu Gardens. These, covering more than 8,000 m², have been transformed into a green civic space, with children’s play areas, water features, an open-air amphitheatre and rest areas surrounded by vegetation.
Inside, the nature of the gardens flows into the commercial space, with vegetation on façades and railings. In addition, we have redesigned the spaces by renewing ceilings and finishes to improve orientation and visibility, with a new 100% LED lighting concept and sculptural wooden ceilings, which provide warmth, character and energy efficiency while enhancing the unique identity of each space. The entire intervention has been guided by sustainability and energy efficiency criteria, including water-saving systems, waste reduction and the use of renewable energy.
For us, it has been a true honour to take part in the renovation of such an iconic project for Barcelona, not only because it is a masterpiece by Rafael Moneo and Manuel de Solà-Morales, but also because of the deep connection it holds with the neighbourhood’s residents and with the city as a whole. With this project, we reaffirm our commitment to a green, sustainable architecture that serves people.
→ Learn more about the renovation of L’Illa Diagonal and the Sant Joan de Déu Gardens.
