The “Urban Alliance” is a mixed-use architectural design seamlessly integrating Industry 4.0 principles, featuring advanced photovoltaic production units. This visionary space harmoniously combines sustainable energy practices with residential and commercial areas, embodying a forward-thinking urban landscape that fosters eco-friendly living and innovative business practices. It exemplifies a holistic and tech-driven approach to urban planning. The project is located in Sant Adrià de Besos, Barcelona. Sant Adrià de Besos is predominantly an industrial zone with minimal high-rise buildings placed in its context, as well as scarce natural vegetation. The aim of the Resilient Envelopes module is to design and develop the façade of our Urban Synthesis and how it responds to climatic conditions, as well as the use of alternative and bio-based materials.
Our project design concept enhances the horizontal elements of our structure, therefore it was important to express this horizontality through our envelopes. Due to our building’s orientation towards the south and the overhangs of up to 2.5 meters, we had the opportunity to use lighter materials that could respond to the climatic needs of each façade and play with aesthetics. The envelope design is based on utilizing ceramic tiles and hemp ropes to create a secondary façade for the southern, western and eastern sides of the design. The secondary façade acts as a buffer to diffuse daylighting as well as to increase thermal mass. The combination of ceramic tiles and hemp ropes are accentuated with plants that grow and show foliage in the summer and lose their foliage during the winter. This allows light to be diffused during the summer and to allow for heat gain during the winter.
Axonometric View – Southwest Façade
Industry Ground Floor Plan – Southwest Corner
Residential First Floor Plan – Southwest Corner
Detail Section
Rope Façade and Planter Detail
Materials – Hemp Rope and Clay Ceramics
Renders produced with Lumion
