Office building in Barcelona / Map Architect, Josep Lluis Mateo
Architects: Map Architect, Josep Lluis Mateo
Location: Cornellà, Barcelona, Spain
Competition Project leaders: Jordi Pagès, Virginia Daroca, Victoria Llinares
Competition Team: Adriana Porta, Bianca von Geyr, Jaume Prat, Daniel Blüm
Architectural Project leader: Yolanda Olmo
Project team: Paula Vallejo
Client: World Trade Center, WTC Almeda Park, SA
Structural Concept: BOMA, Agustí Obiol
Technical Installations: Grupo JG
Fire Protection: Francesc Labastida
Landscape: Manuel Colominas
Area: 15,000 sqm + 32.255 sqm of parking
Year: 2004-2008
Photographs: © Pedro Pegenaute
In the Cornellà Business Park, promoted by the World Trade Centre, we must propose architectural alternatives based on the functional logic already tested and experienced by the ownership, concerning the planned urban concepts.
We had to propose alternatives for two types of situations: the normal buildings, following the streets, and the corner building.
Our proposals are aimed basically at the following questions:
FLOOR TYPE
A constructed band with a 16-metre span around a courtyard. The stairs and lifts as elements added to the structure to prevent its impact. The logic of the floor allows great operative flexibility with spaces for renting of a large variety of sizes with a minimal repercussion on the common elements. The halls on the floor have natural light and particular attention is paid to their finishes.
THE COURTYARD
This is the central element or our proposal. On the one hand it is the emblematic area of the building that gives it a different tone. It is also a space with specific energy requirements.
We aim to base our proposals on the traditional Mediterranean models present and operative in our culture.
The street buildings, with a single access from the garden, and the courtyard forming part of a complex, articulated sequence of elements.
A first area, the atrium, welcomes us. With a height of three floors and conditioned with natural materials (wood) it houses the control, concierge and directory. Connected directly to the main courtyard, the first part of which is hard, paved sandstone and protected from the rain, and open in the final section, where a Mediterranean garden with local vegetation finishes off the perspective. This part is protected from the sun and allows natural ventilation while generating a microclimate conditioned naturally, prepared for our warm climate.
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- floor plan organizations
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- section 01
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- section 02
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- climate scheme
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- fluid simulation
This is a “hive” type of a building with “from the roll” elevations (fifty feet of those elevation please)… not that there is something wrong with it, but… there is not much to subject to a critique… it’s quite neutral and by it’s simplicity it may be pleasing… again it’s very suspicious that the project presentation does not include wide angle shots showing the building context – does it harmonize with its surroundings or not?
By the way… some users of this forum tend to deviate from architectural critique of a subject to a psychological profiling of a post author… these guys are in the wrong place…
The atrium seems like a fantastic place to be and probably makes it a great place to work. I love the sustainability features and clear diagrams. The facades are rather dull – especially the ones without the sunscreens. It makes it look like a typical american office building behind some strip mall.
I don’t think the facades are that bad. They are simple and it is obvious from the exterior that this is an office building. I think that the ground floor facade is very active and engaging. What a surprise it must be for a visitor to discover the courtyard!!!