PMT / Mestura Arquitectes

Architects: Mestura Arquitectes
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Architect In Charge: Humbert Costas, Manuel Gómez, Jaime Blanco, Carlos Durán, Josep M. Estapè
Project Year: 2011
Photographs: Pedro Pegenaute

Project Area: 6,055.83 sqm
Collaboration Architecture: CMT, Arquitectes Associats, SLP
Directorate For Execution: Manuel Mancha. Arquitecto Técnico
Calculation Facility: Intec Asociados 2010, S.L
Calculation Of Structures: Luis Alfredo Rodríguez. Ingeniero de Caminos Canales y Puertos

The Mediterranean Park of Technology of Castelldefels is a campus designed for teaching, research and technology transfer, which is formalized through a urbanistically ring system with roads and buildings articulated around the agora or central square. The building is positioned between this agora and open and free space that is surrounded by a lake.

Optimize the urban parameters, implement an open and fragmented volumes, homogenize the structure through modularity criteria, implement control energy systems and sustainability, adapt standards of public housing to residential requirements of the scientific community and university, etc. are some of the objectives of this residential equipment.

The matrix geometric figure consists of two longitudinal blocks of three floors, each positioned in an east-west while displaced by heterogeneous groups. The slope of a plant contributes to adaptation topographic offering the agora the north block, and the block south to the park, and including a wide space variable, like an internal square for community relations. Reconciling these two volumes is performed by a central body for the common spaces. A lattice with color gradient and variable permeability preserves direct view of the communication spaces outside.

The geometry, volume is here adapting to the urban model chosen, but at the same time is a composition tool adapted to the requirements of these type of modular university accommodations and also the place conditions.