Winner - 102 Social Housing
Madrid, Spain
Architect Agencies: MARMOLBRAVO / MADhel
Fabricator: Aludeco Metálicas
Product solutions used: SOLEAL windows, LUMEAL sliders and NOTEAL solar protection
Photographer José Hevia
"The prize has been awarded to this project because of its impressive façade and interior, the smart use of the budget, as well as excellent space management, and careful attention to details throughout, from the atrium to the entrance" Jury comments
This project accommodates 102 social housing units in the Puente de Vallecas neighborhood in Madrid and has been designed to adapt to a complex corner plot form a construction point of view, incorporating a slope which has a 6 metre difference in height. At the same time, it provides high-quality public spaces. The design harmonizes with surroundings by using materials that blend in tastefully with the neighbourhood, with the goal of respecting the structure and volume of adjacent buildings. The result is a folded building with heights ranging from 5 to 8 stories, featuring four landscaped courtyards positioned alongside the dividing walls of the four adjacent buildings. This design creates spacious interior courtyards, doubling their size by merging with those of the neighbouring structures. These courtyards provide the housing units with cross ventilation and increased natural light, playing a fundamental role as a passive architectural climate strategy. The design has prioritized maximizing natural light and outdoor spaces in each dwelling by incorporating large openings, allowing interior spaces to extend beyond walls and towards the horizon. The concealed LUMEAL sliders system, in its XXL version, has helped to expand the connection between indoor and outdoor spaces due to its large dimensions and minimal visible aluminum profile, optimizing the intake of natural light. The project includes a variety of housing types: one, two, three, and four-bedroom units, as well as some duplexes. Four blocks are designed to accommodate different types of families with varying needs. With an A energy rating, the complex achieves reduced energy demand through passive strategies such as cross ventilation and the design of a high-performance thermal envelope, featuring external thermal insulation (SATE) and thermally insulated windows, along with adjustable external shading for all openings. The folding façade, varying heights, and the fact that the top two floors are set back, contribute to urban diversity. Additionally, by unifying the window openings, making them appear larger than they actually are, the perceptual scale of the building is reduced, creating a more welcoming scale
Special Mention - Social Housing Torre Baró
Barcelona, Spain
Architect Agencies DATAAE, Narch arquitectes, Maira arquitectes
Fabricator: Finestcris
Product solutions used SOLEAL windows and sliders
Photographer Adrià Goula
“This project was awarded for its welcoming and adaptable architecture. Thoughtful decisions were made in selecting distinct elements that come together to create a cohesive yet unique whole. The careful choice of construction components, materials, and their orientations plays a key role. The result beautifully emphasizes the contrast between a rational structural framework and the spontaneity of its interior life" Jury comments
The architectural companies DATAAE, narch arquitectes, and maira arquitectes have designed a building with 47 social housing units in the Barcelona neighbourhoods of Torre Baró, adjacent to Parc de Collserola. The structure, consisting of a basement, ground floor, and five upper floors, is made up of a continuous, shallow perimeter of patio-style apartments, surrounding a central collective atrium. This large communal space serves as a mandatory passage for residents, taking them from the street to their homes. Thanks to its bioclimatic roof, which can open, close, and shield the area from the sun, the atrium acts as a greenhouse in winter and a highly ventilated shaded area in summer. Each unit features a 13m² terrace-gallery space equipped with SOLEAL sliding doors, featuring four panels and two tracks, finished in matte silver anodized aluminium. This design element has contributed to creating a passive energy-efficient zone. Inside the apartments, versatile 10m² rooms have been designed, all identical in size to facilitate changes in use and reduce transitional spaces. The layout is inclusive, with an open-plan kitchen connected to the living area, and access to the laundry and bathrooms is from the central area of the apartment. This new building will serve as a permanent home for some families relocated from the neighbourhoods, who currently live in precarious housing conditions, and have a strong connection to the surrounding mountainous area. The design strategically incorporates natural spaces, adapting them to the elevated patio-house typology. Uniquely, the building features a single typology of patio apartments connected to communal areas, where all rooms are located along the facade, benefiting from natural light and views of the surrounding environment.
