WICONA in Sea Towers, a LEED Platinum office complex, designed by GCA Architects
The architecture firm, GCA Architects, designed the Sea Towers project responding to the principles of biophilic design, where establishing a connection between the offices and the outdoors and nature is key. Funded by Meridia Capital, this is the third building in Spain to be awarded LEED Platinum, the most prestigious qualification of this certification system.
One of the many contiburing factors is that it boasts WICONA façades made from the recycled end-of-life aluminium Hydro CIRCAL. Its ground-breaking design, which incorporates two 6 and 12-floor towers is perfectly integrated with the urban environment, merging the industrial past of Barcelona's Poble Nou neighbourhood with the technological future of 22 @. Despite its location in one of the most industrial areas in Barcelona, the complex is surrounded by green areas and emphasises its relationship with the outdoors and with the Mediterranean Sea, as the defining element of the environment that surrounds it.
With the aim of achieving open floors and amplifying the continuity between the interior and the exterior, Sea Towers is designed with a central structural core, freeing up the maximum amount of office space. The perimeter terraces function as outdoor workspaces and socialisation areas for professional and leisure purposes alike. For the enclosure of the building, three clearly differentiated materials have been used: vision glass with solar control, including photovoltaic panels with a vision of 80%, dry-pressed ceramic panels and WICONA façade systems.
Location: Barcelona, Spain Year: 2021 Building Type: Mixed - Use Developments (Office buildings, service areas and restaurants) Customer: Meridia Capital Architect: GCA Architects Fabricator: Talleres Moyser Investor: Meridia Capital Photographer: © Rafael Vargas Used systems: Façades WICTEC 50 SG
WICTEC 50 façade systems made from Hydro CIRCAL, consisting of recycled end-of-life aluminium, one of the key elements for the LEED Platinum award
The highly versatile WICTEC 50 curtain wall has been used to create the façades, which adapt to the technical and aesthetic needs of any project. However, the differentiating and exclusive point with the rest of the existing systems on the market, is that they are made from Hydro CIRCAL, a certified recycled aluminium manufactured with a minimum of 75% post-consumer scrap. Hydro CIRCAL has one of the lowest carbon footprints in the world, 2.3 kg of CO2 per kilo of aluminium. This makes it possible to contribute to the creation of highly sustainable buildings and consequently to allow them to be certified with the best ratings in the market, in this case, the LEED Platinum and the Well Gold seal, as the WICONA brand boasts all the documentation to back this up.
Another action that has been carried out to reduce energy consumption is the incorporation of solar panels in the WICONA curtain wall and on the roof. A series of horizontal platforms have also been created, that vary in geometry in order to give movement to the facade, creating double spaces and exterior perimeter terraces.
USED HYDRO CIRCAL 75R
OF CO2 SAVED
Green terraces and 360° outdoor spaces
With the aim of optimising its energy resources and fostering the well-being of its future users, one of the maxims of both the architecture firm GCA Architects and the investment manager Meridia Capital is that the two towers that make up the project have green roof terraces. These are accessible to provide users with a space for daily well-being and relaxation, with 360-degree views of the sea and the city.
All the vegetation in the buildings is native and has low water consumption, and the species have been conceived to allow us to witness the evolution of the seasons. Measures to promote sustainable transport have also been incorporated into the project, such as preferential parking areas for electric vehicles and specific storage areas for bicycles. A public area in the centre of the block provides the neighbourhood with a green lung and the neighbours with a space for socialisation and well-being.
