Metal

Structural grid_2 (104)

The relationship between the façade enclosure and the structure is a recurring theme in Batlle and Roig’s work.

In the CMT headquarters the structure is located offset from the façade to allow free development of a nearly entirely glazed envelope.

Highly prefabricating glass facades (107)

This is a unitized façade system, which means a completely prefabricated curtain wall solution. A panel is used with all the onsite mounting benefits that panels can have. What is more it is light, so big components can be used that are perhaps two stories high. During preassembly, all the façade layers can be incorporated into the same frame, and thus into a single panel.

Concrete panels inner layer (103)

This rain screen façade clearly demonstrates evolution along the path to prefabrication. Both the interior and exterior layers are built with highly prefabricated dry systems and it is not so common to find such a massive solution. This enables the façade to loose neither its thermal inertia nor reduce the acoustic barrier.

The inner layer, which uses heavy concrete panels, is a very good option.

Glass blanket (099)

There is little to say about such a glass façade. A steel-profiles mesh covers everyday life like a blanket.

ETICS and light hanged claddings: just beginning (094)

ETICS solutions, which are now so common due to the thermal insulation continuity they allow, were already used twenty-five years ago in designs such as the MACBA building. At that time, achieving continuous rendering without joints was not that simple, as the rendering materials were not as good as the ones we use today.

Lightweight solutions for the rainscreen outer layer were barely known. Probably because the architects did not trust this solution, the inner wall was completely covered with a watertight membrane.

Non continuous solution, continuous image (090)

A very interesting building.

The continuity of the envelope on the façade and roof is only formal, not constructive. The façade solves water tightness by means of a drained cavity, while the roof does so using an absolutely waterproof material. From the outside, they look the same.

Inverse Unitized (C.005)

The modular and low density character of the mat building typology in which the project is based gives as a result a large number of façades, but of similar characteristics. Due to this premise, it was chosen an unitized panel system of double height that respond to the big and regular dimensions of the building, with the aim of systematizing its construction.

Unitized panels with enhanced thermal and acoustic performance (C.001)

PROJECT'S CONTEXT This project tries to rethink the role of the Gran Via and the relationship between the different urban areas approaching El Prat to l'Hospitalet. A series of structural modules are proposed as a base to which trusses can be added.The module could be implemented in other places as a roof that’s able to collect water and produce energy. Responding to the changing needs of the infrastructure, the new building, which is going to host the new Technology Park, is a flexible space where the facilities and construction solutions are based on the Plug&Play system.

Between steel ribs (085)

Awarded the Pritzker in architecture, the value of this work is undeniable from a formal perspective. However, doubts arise when we consider the functional aspects of thermal and lighting comfort in a Mediterranean climate at 41 degrees latitude.

When a building and a mountain merge (088)

The façade of San Telmo museum manages to extract all possible design potential from the succession of layers. The surprising thing in this case is that the architects are not limited to the façade layers. In their proposal, they consider as layers the planes that follow one another when a transversal cut is made into the building. So the built volume and its limits, the façade and the mountain all merge.