Barcelona, Spain

The project is the construction of a building between party walls of 12 houses in Barcelona. It is located on a narrow plot between Còrsega and Sardenya streets, adjacent to the corner but without access to the block patio. This almost residual condition in the Eixample fabric led us to propose a façade that was as transparent as possible, connecting the houses as much as possible with the Mediterranean climate of Barcelona but at the same time protecting them from the sun and from a street with a lot of mo torized traffic. Our most apparent references at first were the fa cades with lattice systems and brise soleil of some local projects by architects such as Mitjans, Coderch or Bofill. Still, we were immediately fascinated by the simplicity of the rear facades of the Eixample, with their apparent non-existence design, practicality and beauty. 

The project explores the potential of the 19th-century facades of the inner courtyards of the Eixample neighborhood, which are equipped with glass galleries protected by simple rolling wooden shutters that, when opened, create continuous balconies across the entire facade. Friendly, simple and very effective, this Mediterranean-style facade protection system uses wooden louvres to provide cooling during Barcelona's hot summers and a lot of light and a greenhouse effect during the mild winters. We adapted this Mediterranean shading system and designed a custom motorized pine louvre mounted on a folding aluminum frame. Using commercial wooden blinds ensures they can be repaired or replaced easily and cost-effectively.

The project explores the potential of the 19th-century facades of the inner courtyards of the Eixample neighborhood, which are equipped with glass galleries protected by simple rolling wooden shutters that, when opened, create continuous balconies across the entire facade. Friendly, simple and very effective, this Mediterranean-style facade protection system uses wooden louvres to provide cooling during Barcelona's hot summers and a lot of light and a greenhouse effect during the mild winters. We adapted this Mediterranean shading system and designed a custom motorized pine louvre mounted on a folding aluminum frame. Using commercial wooden blinds ensures they can be repaired or replaced easily and cost-effectively.