Sustainable building, sustainable living: La Borda, Barcelona by Lacol

Forma atelier undertook a renovation project in an apartment located in Barcelona's Eixample district, aiming to revitalize the modernist space with a contemporary approach. The core of this transformation revolves around the installation of new flooring, meticulously crafted from traditional handmade hydraulic tiles. Each room within the apartment features a unique tile design, yet these diverse patterns are harmonized by a consistent color palette across all spaces, ensuring a unified aesthetic throughout the interior. This thoughtful design choice preserves the individual character of each area while establishing a cohesive flow. The apartment had previously undergone multiple renovations that had compromised many of its original features. Forma's intervention prioritized the preservation and restoration of these existing elements, seeking to enhance the modernist charm of the interior through a contemporary lens. The most significant decision in this renovation was the commitment to design and implement new flooring across the entire apartment using traditional, handcrafted hydraulic tiles. In addition to the flooring, the baseboards and moldings were carefully recreated to adhere to the design principles of 1900. The original interior and balcony doors were also meticulously preserved and restored, including their moldings, handles, and even the frosted upper glass panels. For the bathrooms, a contrasting design approach was taken, introducing metallic doors with sleek, straight lines. These new doors maintain the same proportions as the older carpentry, creating a deliberate juxtaposition that highlights both the traditional and contemporary design elements. The original layout of the apartment was largely maintained, with a key modification made to the rooms adjacent to the main facades. Here, interior partitions were removed to create larger, open spaces, which in turn allow natural light to penetrate deeper into the inner rooms. The kitchen is integrated into one of these newly opened areas. It features a minimalist design, characterized by clean lines and modern materials, while still subtly referencing the apartment's modernist heritage. The project, titled 'Enric Granados Apartment,' was undertaken by Forma architects at the location of Enric Granados, Barcelona, covering an area of 110 square meters. #ArchitectureInBarcelona #ResidentialArchitectureInteriors #ApartmentRenovation #ModernistDesign #HandmadeTiles #HydraulicTileFlooring #BarcelonaDesign #FormaArchitects

The ARQ10 project, developed by IDIN architects in Bangkok, Thailand, offers a unique solution to urban living challenges by creating ten family residences within limited spaces. The architectural approach focuses on vertical expansion to meet the diverse needs of city dwellers while integrating natural elements to enhance the living environment. The design of ARQ10 features white organic volumes interspersed with pocket green courts, establishing a continuous flow of greenery from the ground level to a rooftop garden. This organic integration of green spaces serves to improve natural ventilation and maximize the penetration of natural light into the interiors, promoting an eco-friendly lifestyle within an urban context. The project incorporates two distinct building types, M and L, which share a foundational design scheme with minor variations. The ground floor of both types is designated as a semi-public area, designed to facilitate social interactions and host guests. The L-type residence includes an additional basement level, providing versatile space that can be adapted for various functions. This basement is connected to a sunken court, which offers both privacy and views of lush greenery, seamlessly linking the subterranean space with nature. Ascending through the residence, the mezzanine level houses a bedroom, strategically surrounded by green spaces to maintain a strong connection with nature. The second floor features an open-plan layout that combines the living and dining areas, with a swimming pool thoughtfully integrated as a visual backdrop, enhancing the aesthetic appeal and creating a resort-like ambiance. The third level is dedicated to two master bedrooms, each offering views of the central inner courtyard and its verdant foliage, further emphasizing the integration of nature into private living spaces. The design culminates on the rooftop, which is transformed into a leisure area featuring a garden planted with trees. These trees provide natural shade, contributing to the comfort of the residents and actively reducing heat transfer into the building, thereby supporting energy efficiency and thermal comfort. The ARQ10 project exemplifies a harmonious blend of architecture and nature, addressing the constraints of urban environments by creating serene and nature-infused interiors. This design philosophy not only provides practical living solutions but also enhances the well-being of residents by fostering a connection with the natural world. The strategic placement of green pockets throughout the vertical structure ensures that residents experience nature at every level, from the semi-public ground floor to the private rooftop garden, establishing a refreshing and sustainable model for contemporary urban residences in Bangkok. #IDINArchitects #UrbanLiving #BangkokArchitecture #EcoFriendlyDesign #VerticalGardens #ResidentialArchitecture #SustainableDesign #NatureIntegration

The construction industry plays a critical role in addressing global warming, as high carbon-emitting industries face increasing scrutiny. As COP26 approaches, attention is turning to sustainable alternatives to traditional building materials. This exploration delves into the past, present, and future of three key construction materials that offer more environmentally friendly solutions for building projects: biocomposite concrete, rammed earth, and wood. Concrete, despite its high carbon footprint, is undergoing significant technological advancements. Historically, lime mortar, used in ancient Indian and Greek structures, served as a primary cement-like material. However, the early 19th century saw the invention of Portland cement, which subsequently became the world's most common construction cement. Its production and use contribute approximately 8% of global carbon dioxide emissions. The reintroduction of traditional lime, which re-absorbs CO2 and enhances indoor air quality, is gaining traction as a means to decarbonize concrete. Sheryl Boyle, an associate professor at Carleton University’s Azrieli School of Architecture and Urbanism, emphasizes that changing concrete's carbon footprint would be a significant development. Looking ahead, a "cellulose revolution" is anticipated, with materials like hempcrete – a lightweight biocomposite made from hemp – offering promising alternatives. This material is already being utilized in various building projects worldwide. Furthermore, historical inspirations like using volcanic rock, as the Ancient Romans did, or developing innovative materials such as Martian concrete, which sets without water, present potential future directions, especially for water-scarce regions or extraterrestrial construction. Rammed earth, an ancient building method, involves compacting natural materials like earth, chalk, or gravel into molds. This technique originated thousands of years ago in China, with notable examples like Aït Benhaddou in Morocco, an 11th-century town largely reconstructed using these methods. Rammed earth also saw a resurgence during the US depression due to its low cost. Today, it is recognized as an incredibly low-carbon building method, particularly when local materials are used, minimizing transportation emissions. Its aesthetic appeal and environmental credentials have led to a modern comeback among architects, exemplified by projects such as the Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre in Canada, which utilizes rammed earth façades for thermal regulation and design. Sara Wilkinson FRICS, professor of sustainable property at the University of Technology Sydney, predicts that low-carbon materials like rammed earth, strawbale, and hempcrete will become highly popular in the next 5-10 years, driven by the urgent need to decarbonize the built environment and the insights from reports like the IPCC's findings on climate change. She also advocates for more green infrastructure, including green roofs and walls, to mitigate urban heat islands, improve air quality, enhance thermal and acoustic performance, manage stormwater runoff, and support biodiversity. Wood, a highly renewable material when managed responsibly, has the added benefit of storing carbon, contributing to its recent resurgence in construction. Timber structures have a long history, with the earliest known timber home dating back 10,000 years. Early human evolution was closely tied to the ability to work with materials like wood, often using sophisticated joinery methods such as mortise and tenon joints. The industrial era shifted focus to mass-produced glass, steel, and concrete, and wood fell out of favor due to perceptions of flammability and lack of durability. However, the contemporary drive for less carbon-intensive building materials has brought wood back into prominence. Innovations like cross-laminated timber (CLT) enable the construction of tall structures, such as the 18-story Mjøstårnet in Norway, a hotel, office, and apartment complex built with a combination of CLT and glulam. Mass timber has demonstrated excellent seismic resistance and offers unique aesthetic qualities. Future possibilities include wooden skyscrapers, like the proposed 80-story timber tower in Chicago, and its integration into urban design concepts such as ArkDes’s "one-minute city" street furniture. Boyle emphasizes that the ultimate goal is to create healthy and sustainable spaces, potentially by recapturing and reintroducing older, proven building practices and materials into contemporary design. #SustainableBuildingMaterials #LowCarbonConstruction #BiocompositeConcrete #RammedEarth #WoodConstruction #ClimateChange #CircularEconomy #ArchitecturalInnovation #GreenInfrastructure