15th Spanish Architecture and Urbanism Biennial 2021 Award.
Finalist FAD 2021 Architecture Awards.
15th Spanish Architecture and Urbanism Biennial 2021 Award.
Finalist FAD 2021 Architecture Awards.
6×6 Block uses both façades to create a climatic filter.
In winter the south façade acts as a greenhouse to capture solar energy. As a result of an air exchange between the two façades via a ventilation system, considerable energy savings can be achieved.
In winter, heat is transported from the south to the north façade, and in summer the process is reversed.
During the project, the collaboration between the architectural firm and Alumilux was absolute. We were able to produce unique prototypes that offer the possibility to adapt to changing situations with a single standardised method.
In the words of Ramon Bosch:
“To achieve this purpose, it is necessary to have a craftsman’s knowledge and absolute finesse in the execution, to find the constructive solution through a piece that did not yet exist. The idea of design is to project with a type of architecture that is conceived at the level of millimetres”
Reduction to 900 tonnes of CO2.
The heart of the building is made of wood, with a metal envelope. As a result, large amounts of carbon dioxide are reduced by simply not building with concrete. The amount of wood in the project produces 900 tonnes of CO2, whereas with concrete it would be more than twice as much.
Thinking about climate change.
The building speaks of the need to think about the future and how architecture can manage the relationship with the climate and rising temperatures. One tangible example of this is the south façade, which adapts to the changing conditions between winter and summer with its casement windows.
The project draws on the tradition of the cantilevered galleries built on the old wall of Girona that separated the city from the river Onyar.
These galleries were the result of the excessive density in the early days of the city. The balconies were boarded up, string shutters were installed and, without too much pretence, climate filters were created.
All the details of the
north side envelope
Areas for domestic life
Thanks to its location, which has a green area separating it from the nearest buildings, the idea was to create full transparency on the south façade. Through the variable thickness of the interior space of the access walkways, it was possible to create lobbies in front of each dwelling.
The user is given the option of opening up to the collective space, providing the variability of the same space depending on how the individual carpentry is used.
