David Chipperfield . b720

Campus Audiovisual. Barcelona

photos: ©Duccio Malagamba

The office building is located within 'Campus Audiovisual', a part of the regenerated 19th century industrial area of Poblenou, fronting a southern section of the Diagonal and close to the boundary of the Eixample and Sant Martí areas of the city of Barcelona. The site occupies approximately one quarter of an urban block within Idefons Cerdà's masterplan. Simple and bold sculptural forms have been carved out of the given project boundaries.
The spaces between these buildings of that urban block form small piazzas - social spaces that link the buildings of the masterplan. To reinforce the object-like quality of each individual building within the masterplan, their massiveness and materiality are expressed and the sculptural approach to the design is supported by the monolithic look of the building.
The abstract quality of the façade is generated by a random pattern of full-height window openings. Coloured, glass fibre reinforced concrete panels are arranged vertically over the entire façade and into the lining of each window space with a precision and sculptural quality appropriate to both the climate and craft traditions of Barcelona.
These panelled façade elements are insulated and form an integral part of the façade assembly together with the solid block work wall and the internal office surface cladding.