Sixty-Four Apartments in Bon Pastor, Barcelona
2º PRIZE – Competition for Patronat Municipal de l’Habitatge

The proposal was to create a linear building that defined the streets in an interesting manner, offering public spaces of a different nature: a reflection of the fragmented and heterogeneous condition of the consolidated urban space. The irregular cityscape obscures large facades. The building has been conceived as a fragmented structure, as the height of the stair cores varies, creating irregular spaces. At urban level, it resonates with the townscape, becoming a permeable building that improves the quality of the neighbouring households and streets as its height reduces. To the north and south sides, constructability and height converge, while the height decreases in the three central sections, so daylight can penetrate into the building through the uppermost floors, maximizing its relationship with the public spaces on a smaller scale and the visual permeability through the adjacent buildings.

Sixty-four apartments have been designed with three different typologies responding to the needs of current demand. Terraced apartments have been conceived for the ground floor, 1m above street level. Also, there are five vertical communication cores, connecting the two basement floors with the upper floors. Each core has a ventilated staircase and a lift, with access to two open-ended apartments, except for the ones in the corners, which provide access to three apartments. On plan, the households in an individual core are interspersed, while on the western façade, the volume is broken up by 3.20m mixed courtyards, increasing the distance between each apartment, offering privacy and more independence, despite being part of the same complex. The use of the façade’s perimeter is maximised to provide south-facing cross panoramic views, which avoids overlooking the neighbours opposite, with corner windows connecting the view and creating clear sightlines from multiple angles.

On the western façade, two large west and south facing terraces deliver continuity to the internal area, regaining the height of the external space. These terraces are fitted with vertical blinds acting as solar filters, regulating the light and offering privacy. Bedrooms and linear balconies are located on the eastern façade. In each apartment, bathrooms and storage areas are accommodated in a core, creating alternative routes and segregating daytime from night-time zones. The internal distribution is flexible, facilitating different solutions, such as incorporating bedrooms in common areas, modifying the location of the kitchen or adding a new bathroom.

Architects
Camila Aybar, Juan José Mateos, Jorge Jover and Maria Borrell

Developer
Patronat Municipal de l’Habitatge

Project 2015
Area 6.500m²