Diagonal Vertical Tower in Barcelona
Under the premise of “intervening without being seen,” the project seeks to recover the essence of the building through an intervention that respects its original features and adapts them to current needs.
Coworking Llacuna Offices
Llacuna is a 3,561 m² office building dedicated to shared office space: coworking. Designed to promote the well-being of its users in the work environment, it features staggered volumetry that allows for maximum natural light and the creation of landscaped outdoor terraces, respecting and maintaining continuity with the green courtyards inside the block. An innovative proposal that achieves LEED GOLD sustainability certification
Authors
Batlleiroig Arquitectura. Enric Batlle Durany, Joan Roig i Duran, Albert Gil Margalef, Helena Salvadó Giné – Architect
Team
Meritxell Moyà Vilalta, María Morey Ferrer, Pedro Pablo Macías Trujillo – Architect / Elisabeth Torregrosa Avilés, Laura Luque Pan – Building engineer
Collaborators
G+R Structures – Structural engineering, PGI Engineering – MEP engineering
Promoter
One Capital Partners, Agartha Real State
Location
Project status
In drafting
Scope
3561 m2
Outdoor area
308 m2
A strategic location with excellent communications
The Coworking Llacuna office building is situated on Carrer Llacuna, adjacent to the historic district of Poblenou, in the 22@ district. It is positioned within the block bordered by Roc Boronat, Ramón Turró – one of the green axes prioritized for pedestrians in 22@ – and Doctor Trueta, which is divided in two by Pasaje Bori.
The location boasts excellent connectivity, fostering sustainable mobility through the use of public transport, bicycles, and electric scooters. The building features two bus stops right in front of the entrance door and a metro station just a 7-minute walk away.
This is a thriving area where new uses are being developed to meet current needs, such as coworking (shared offices) and coliving (shared housing).
Harmonious integration with the industrial environment of the Poblenou neighbourhood
Llacuna offices have 3,561 m² organized through staggered volumetry that respects the crown of the adjoining consolidated residential buildings and provides continuity to the inner courtyards of the block. This composition enhances and adds value to the green areas for private use within the 22@ block, while simultaneously contributing to mitigating the heat island effect.
The pre-existing elements adjacent to the new intervention imbue their identity into the new and innovative façade of the Llacuna coworking center. On the one hand, an industrial building on one of the sides establishes the materiality, providing visual unity to the entire structure. On the other hand, the arrangement of openings in the neighboring residential building is replicated. The result is a harmonious composition that respects and adapts to the existing context.
The project features a ground floor at street level that spans the entire plot, a three-story block above the ground floor facing Carrer Llacuna (Block A), and a two-story block above the ground floor facing the Bori passage (Block B). Additionally, parking spaces for cars, motorcycles, bicycles, and scooters are arranged on a single level below ground level.
A sustainable and innovative façade
Ceramic columns, constructed from compacted earth blocks – an innovative and highly sustainable material that aids in reducing CO2 emissions during the manufacturing process – impart a fresh, flexible, and innovative aesthetic to the building. These columns are paired with prefabricated concrete lintels that create overhangs on the façade to regulate the lighting comfort of the interior spaces. The carpentry of the openings incorporates a modular design to facilitate natural cross-ventilation, ensuring optimal airflow in the workspace.
The material of the main façades extends towards the party walls, enveloping the entire structure and achieving architectural cohesion that unifies the project with the adjacent buildings.
A volumetric design that maximizes natural light and outdoor spaces in the working environment
The design of the new offices is characterized by a setback in its volumetric structure, enabling the creation of three outdoor terraces at different heights. These terraces are connected and directly linked to the workspaces, facilitating the maximum ingress of natural light into the offices. Additionally, they provide users with accessible green spaces on each floor for work or relaxation.
The first expansive, walkable terrace is situated on the initial floor, atop the access floor’s roof. It establishes a biophilic space for meetings and leisure that aligns with the center of the plot. In line with the goal of optimizing the influx of natural light, this terrace incorporates a skylight connecting to the ground floor, contributing to the creation of bright and high-quality workspaces.
The second block, positioned on the south side within the block and adjacent to the Bori passage, is set back on the second floor to form the second garden terrace. This architectural maneuver arises from the intention to maximize the exposure of the first terrace to natural light.
The third terrace is positioned on the roof of this second block. The three levels are linked by visible and instinctive external stairs that enhance the visual and physical connection between spaces, promoting healthy mobility within the building. This improvement enhances the user’s experience in the work environment.
A permeable access
The main entrance, located on Carrer Llacuna, welcomes users through a small lobby characterized by an elegant and warm atmosphere.
The Llacuna offices promote urban permeability between Carrer Llacuna and Passeig Bori through transparency and an open-plan design on the ground floor, a design decision that creates spaciousness and encourages interaction between the interior and the urban context.
Flexible interiors in harmony with the natural materials of the facade
Behind the access space unfolds a complete ground floor dedicated to office use, connecting with the interior of the block in the Bori passage. From this access floor, the building is divided into two office volumes through two vertical communication cores.
The interiors are designed as flexible spaces that will adapt to the client’s needs in the implementation project. To achieve this, the communication and service cores are located at one end of the floor, next to the party wall, freeing up the rest of the floor and creating a spacious, open-plan area.
Following the client’s preferences, the central space will be compartmentalized with offices on the façades, allowing natural light to permeate the space for all users. In the center, a communal room is designed with mobile furniture to enhance user comfort in the workspace.
The offices have been designed with high acoustic comfort requirements in mind, incorporating high-quality absorbent materials. In the open space, the glass partitions will provide a high degree of acoustic insulation, while in the meeting rooms, the walls and floor will be covered with textile materials. These rooms are the only areas that will feature false ceilings to enhance insulation.
The office spaces will feature natural materials such as stone and earth tones, aligning with the building envelope. The stairwells will be covered with compacted earth blocks, and the floors will be constructed with wood, cultivating a warm office atmosphere. Transparency in construction is a priority, with visible installations and floor slabs without false ceilings.
Sustainable design
Coworking Llacuna offices are committed to a sustainable and biophilic design that promotes biodiversity and helps mitigate the heat island effect. More than 50% of the roofs are green, functioning as water tanks and generating energy through photovoltaic solar panels. A system of water-accumulating roofs with plant coverings is implemented, favoring insulation and thermal comfort inside the building.
In addition, the use of local materials with a green life cycle has been chosen. Fetdeterra ceramic material is used, a natural and 100% recyclable material manufactured at a minimum energy cost. It is a handmade ceramic brick made from compacted clay, without firing, significantly reducing CO2 emissions compared to conventional bricks. This material is beneficial for the health of the users, as the earth transpires and purifies the air. Its thermal inertia reduces the energy cost of the building and also regulates humidity, interior temperature, absorbs electromagnetic waves, and insulates acoustically.
Finally, the building promotes sustainable mobility by incorporating healthy stairs and parking areas for bicycles and electric scooters. All these measures have enabled the Coworking Llacuna offices to obtain LEED GOLD sustainability certification.
