Patricia Martínez+Natasha Menorca
Collective housing for 200 people between the city of Barcelona and the Collserola mountain, where they coexist with the flora and fauna of the area.
We are located between the Montbau neighborhood and Sant Genís dels Agudells, on the edge of the city with the Collserola mountain. On a plot of 15,000 m², with quite a slope and vegetation.
The site is surrounded by both a residential neighborhood and facilities: mainly the Montbau residential neighborhood, the health complex of the Vall d’Hebron University Hospital and the Olympic sports complex. Due to the slope of the place and the height from sea level, you can see almost the entire city.
The intervention site is located to the south of the mountain slope so it is well protected from the north and west winds. The objective of the project is to achieve a residential block with common exterior and interior spaces to accommodate 200 people. In order to locate the homes, a grid rotated 45 degrees with respect to the North has been made, following the slope of the topography, seeking views of the city.
In order to make the most of the views of the city, we have decided to lean on the slope so that the project stands on a structure of pillars with platforms that locate the three necessary types of housing.
The program is grouped into blocks of 8 homes + common area, with a total of 7 blocks. In each of these blocks we find 2 homes with 3 bedrooms, 3 homes with 2 bedrooms and 3 homes with 1 room. In addition to a common area in the lower area, with access from the core and from the patio. In these common spaces we can find: Assembly room / Auditorium, bar and common kitchen, gym with changing rooms, meeting and coworking room, library and study rooms, nursery and games rooms, event / multipurpose room. The common use spaces are open, multipurpose and changing spaces, according to the needs of the neighbors. Additionally, different community areas are located in the outdoor area. We find a playground, different rest areas, orchards and a pond or swimming pool. This seeks a way to live in a community, proactively and self-managed by the neighbors themselves, uniting the city and the mountains, taking advantage of the benefits of both.
The free ground floor allows us to maintain the level of the original existing land, without the need to move land, since we are adapting to it. This creates a free outdoor but covered space under each housing block, generating common spaces that both neighbors and the flora and fauna of the area can inhabit. A large porch where a new biosphere is created where different species of animals, birds, vegetation and humans coexist. To encourage coexistence between them, different spaces are added such as nests on roofs and facades.
The concept of the project is to create different levels that connect the spaces of each home and at the same time define its use. The structure is made up of pillars with supports that support girders with supports. Joists that will support the floor are supported on them. It has been decided to work on a light wooden structural system, since it provides us with flexibility of uses, quick assembly, being reversible and reusable. When entering the land, the wooden pillars have been fitted onto concrete pillars that will be supported on footings. The structural system of the project is based on a grid from which the homes are organized, so that the union of several bays generates the different rooms. Each room is staggered relative to each other, both in section and in plan.
In summary, the project takes advantage of the topography and creates a light wooden structure, which seeks to promote a community lifestyle. With the free ground floor, it helps to maintain the level of the original land, generating a covered outdoor space for coexistence between residents, flora and fauna. The harmonious integration between the city and the mountains is sought, standing out for its sustainability and adaptation to the environment.
Authors: Patricia Martínez+Natasha Menorca.
Location: Barcelona, Spain.
University: UPC – ETSAB.
Year: 2023