BARCA HYBRID
Proposal for a multifunctional residential, office, and commercial hybrid building. To be constructed as an infill in a superblock of the Eixample of Barcelona. Over developed and crowded, the Eixample’s central areas have fallen into disuse, allowing large amount of central city land prime for active reuse architecture.
The project aims to provide dual purpose; to provide zero commute wok environment for residents, while also revitalizing the inner courtyard of the block that has been lost over the years due the growing density of residents and business into the blocks.
The site for the buildings sits on the edge of the Eixample (an expansion project, through a series of repetitive chamfered blocks of buildings, by the city to connect nearby towns of Barcelona. The less systematic area adjacent to it is the Gothic Quarter of the city. The oldest part of the city where cultural staples of Barcelona are found. The proposed building lies next to the northern corner of the block. It faces due north-west to the street and southeast to the courtyard.
The intervention calls for a building to be demolished across from an already existing entrance into the courtyard. the intention of removing the building directly across the courtyard emphasizes the direct linear path into, and through the courtyard. From this point built structure and green space is generated on either side, directly adjacent to the main walking path in a gesture to draw people from the main area of traffic up and into the courtyard.
The whole of the structure apart from the entrance to the building and the structural cores is removed on the first level to create a threshold one must pass under and through to access the courtyard beyond. This keeps the courtyard
semi-private, while also making it public without mass traffic filtering into the building itself.
The middle courtyard is revitalized into a green space park through platforms. A ramp and stair allow access from the main circulation axis of the courtyard. Series of wood platforms at different levels allow for walkable surfaces on the previous roof tops. Low maintanence greenery is to be installed between the series of platforms.
The main structure takes up the majority of the allowed square footage left from the demolished building. The limits of the site create difficulties in natural lighting of the building. The building itself is long slender in the x and y plane and only
allows for sunlight on the southeast and northwest sides. To solve this lighting issue, in the middle of the building a light well is created. It brings in natural light and air flow to a central courtyard within the building.
The buildings multi-program function is split up into alternating stacks of offices and residential housing, with the commercial on the ground floor and first floor. The two set of towers are made offset every floor. This creates a series of balconies on the interior light well courtyard, and also on the side facing the interior courtyard and the street side, the same as traditional Barcelona, Eixample, residential buildings.
Floor +1
Floor +2
Floor +3
