Winner - Building for 4 friends
Barcelona, Spain
Architect Agency: Thomas Lussi / Lola Domènech
Metal Builder: Grup Manser
Product Solutions used: LUMEAL sliders, SOLEAL windows and GEODE façade
Photographer: Adrià Goula
“It has been decided to award the prize to this project because it has achieved in a small plant for four residential properties on a single side following the client's point of view. It is interesting how the living façade interacts with the interior and the exterior with a lot of light shadow very efficient easement through the project is brilliant" Jury comments
The building with six floors above ground, a basement floor, and a terrace with a swimming pool on the roof has been conceived from the outset in close relationship with its users. The owners, four couples of friends, organised themselves as a community of neighbours to agree on all decisions of the project, a habitat that is committed to architectural quality, passive design and sustainability and that has an A energy classification.
The homes of around 80 m2 have two terraces -a patio façade and a street façade- that guarantee cross ventilation. The living-kitchen-dining rooms are located on the rear façade in direct relation to the building's patio. The living area is extended with the terrace up to the enclosure of the wooden shutters that delimit it, creating a comfortable "porch" space of light and shadow.
The longitudinal facade that incorporates a ventilated staircase is resolved with a rectangular format ceramic lattice that allows natural and constant ventilation and lighting, in compliance with current regulations, while generating various shades of natural light in the access.
The façade enclosures have been calculated by optimising the thicknesses and dimensions of the profiles to the maximum, incorporating the latest designs and technical solutions, such as the bottom guide system of the LUMEAL XXL sliding doors, which guarantees easy movement of the large and heavy frames. The use of large sliding doors in the living room has made it possible to create a direct link between the interior space of the living/dining room and the terrace, which is delimited by the terrace, which is delimited by a system of opening shutters.
Special Mention - Three Towers Black Swans
Strasbourg, France
Architect: Architectures Anne Demians
Metal Builder: Bluntzer
Product Solutions used: LUMEAL sliders
Photographer: Jean Pierre Porcher / Martin Argyroglo
“It has been decided to award a special mention to this project because the two dock structures are very impressive and very well detailed. Old industrial side turned into a great living space. It is basically a very well executed project." Jury comments
The construction of the three Black Swans towers complies with the environmental commitment of the ARCHITECTURES ANNE DEMIANS agency. This project covers more than 30,000 m² and is designed to develop the former port of the Malraux peninsula in Strasbourg, with a strong heritage focus, taking the nearby landmarks such as the cathedral into account.
The Black Swans embody a new type of building, where diversity and modularity are at the heart of the reflexion. Built from a single construction grid, they three towers produce orthogonal, compact and rational shapes and guarantee the budgetary balance of the operation without compromising the quality of the project.
The 1,500 LUMEAL sliders were designed and implemented with this in mind. They are available in 2 and 4 panels, each 2.20 m high and 74 cm wide, in order to adapt to the structure of the building. They have high-performance openings (between 1.4 Uw and 1.6 Uw) and a minimalist design (concealed opening and 76 mm central percussion): housing for first-time buyers, student and senior apartments, luxury hotels, shops, restaurants and wellness areas. These sliding windows open onto balconies that project the facades forward. The views of the cathedral and the Black Forest are unobstructed, creating a dialogue between interior and exterior.
The sliding loggia system provides effective protection from Strasbourg's particular climate, which is very cold in winter and can be scorching in summer. The comfort of the occupants and the energy consumption are optimised. All the joinery incorporates a low threshold to ensure accessibility for people with limited mobility, which is essential for the senior residence and for residents with disabilities. Poetic, the Black Swans towers reinterpret the marked arch and graceful carriage of the swans, which had settled in the Austerlitz basin. The TECHNAL aluminium profiles are clad in an intense black colour and blend into the similarly coloured envelope.
Material nuances are almost non-existent. The architecture and the light create the variations. Depending on the time of day and the weather, the water in the walkways reflect in the joinery and the metal panels.
As well as these riches in life-art, the architecture houses the drama of the two-storey reception lobby, the two differently styled bars, the emerald green infinity pool, and a great kitchen.
