Squares made of wood
Social Apartment Building by Peris + Toral
© José Hevia
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This building by Peris + Toral in Cornellà de Llobregat, a suburb in west Barcelona, proves that affordable social apartment houses can be innovative. The facade follows a strict grid all the way around. The outer skin consists of hot-galvanized grids that alternate with the wooden shades typical of Barcelona and offer protection from the heat in summertime.
© José Hevia
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Marta Toral and José Peris take the strict grid of the facade to extremes in the floor plans. They consist entirely of equally sized squares with an edge length of 3,60 m that can flow together to form larger spaces according to residents’ wishes.
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The heart of each flat is always the kitchen, around which the other rooms – which have not been assigned specific uses – are grouped.
© José Hevia
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However, the project is unconventional not only conceptually, but constructively as well, for apart from the base level, which is intended for retail use, the building is made completely of wood – a rarity in Spain. Even the stairwells have been made of this material, which was supplied by a Basque company.
© José Hevia
© José Hevia
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The base level alone is of poured concrete. Above this, all the load-bearing components are of wood. The undersides of the balconies have been left visible. In the apartments, most of the supporting structure has been covered up to ensure fire protection and soundproofing. The wood remains exposed on just a few ceilings.
© José Hevia
© José Hevia
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The supporting structure was conceived so that the cross-sections of the supports could be as small as possible. This saved money. Moreover, the connections between the columns and beams can easily be taken apart. This makes it possible to return the individual building components to the material cycle once the structure has reached the end of its life cycle.
© José Hevia
© José Hevia
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A social apartment building made of wood is possible only when the client is courageous. Impsol, the client behind this project, is known for innovation even with limited budgets. Thanks to the architects’ powers of persuasion and cooperative case workers from the municipal authorities, this pioneering building has been realized on the outskirts of Barcelona.
Read more in Detail 12.2022 and in our databank Detail Inspiration.
Architecture: Peris + Toral
Client: Metropolitan Institute of Land Development and Property Management – Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona (IMPSOL)
Location: Avenida Republica Argentina 21, Cornellà de Llobregat (ES)
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