University Accommodation Pius Font i Quer

Intervention level: Scheme detail design and site supervision.
Client: UPC Polytechnic University of Catalonia / SIRESA NOVA S.A.
Location: Barcelona
Competition year: 2008
Project year: 2009
Construction period: 10’10 – 09’11
Total built: 6.055,83 m²
Budget: 6.608.000 €
Construction company: Fausto Facioni CONSTRUCCIONES S.L.
Other technical:

• Collaboration with *
• CMT, Associates Architects, SLP. Collaboration Architecture.
• Manuel Mancha. Technical Architect. Execution Director.
• Intec Associates 2010, SL Installations Consultancy.
• Luis Alfredo Rodriguez. In Civil Engineering and Ports. Structure Consultancy.
• Paymacotas. Study of Safety and Health and Safety Coordination
• Societat organic. Sustainability and Maintenance.
• IBERIA SOCOTEC. Technical Control Agency.
• Pedro Pegenaute, Photography.

Publications:

• BUILDING GREEN, MEA AWARDS 2013. Shape Comunication LTD. Athens, Greece, 2013. ISSN: 1790-9961.
• L’INFORMATIU. N. 336 April 2013. Technique: Analysis of Work. College of Technical Architects and Building Engineers of Barcelona. Barcelona, 2013. ISSN:1132-2802.
• Arquitectura Viva 144. Breves España. Residencia en Castelldefels. Del lago al ágora. Arquitectura Viva SL, Madrid, 2012. ISSN: 0214-1256
• AV Monografías 153-154 España 2012. Arquitectura Viva SL, Madrid, 2012. ISSN: 0213-487X
• RESIDENTIAL UNIVERSITY AREAS. Department of Urban and Housing Rehabilitation. Council of A Coruña. A Coruña, 2010.
• ARCHDAILY (2012)
• ARQUITECTURA VIVA (2012)
• PLATAFORMA ARQUITECTURA (2012)
• AECCAFE (2012)

Awards:

• Competition, 1st Price (2008)
• Mediterranean Sustainable Architecture, MEA 2013 Awards. 1st Price.
• San Marco Awards 2012/13. Honorable Mention.
• Catalonia Construction Awards 2012, 9th edition. Selected Work.

The Mediterranean Park of Technology of Castelldefels is a campus designed for teaching, research and technology transfer, which is formalized through a urbanistically ring system with roads and buildings articulated around the agora or central square. The building is positioned between this agora and open and free space that is surrounded by a lake.

Optimize the urban parameters, implement an open and fragmented volumes, homogenize the structure through modularity criteria, implement control energy systems and sustainability, adapt standards of public housing to residential requirements of the scientific community and university, etc. are some of the objectives of this residential equipment.

Volume and geometry

The matrix geometric figure consists of two longitudinal blocks of three floors, each positioned in an east-west while displaced by heterogeneous groups. The slope of a plant contributes to adaptation topographic offering the agora the north block, and the block south to the park, and including a wide space variable, like an internal square for community relations. Reconciling these two volumes is performed by a central body for the common spaces. A lattice with color gradient and variable permeability preserves direct view of the communication spaces outside.

The geometry, volume is here adapting to the urban model chosen, but at the same time is a composition tool adapted to the requirements of these type of modular university accommodations and also the place conditions.