A groundbreaking social housing development in Barcelona has successfully integrated industrial construction methods with sustainable design principles, creating 45 affordable housing units through innovative prefabricated modular construction. The project, designed by Vivas Arquitectos and completed in 2024, represents a significant advancement in addressing urban housing challenges while maintaining environmental responsibility.
The eight-story residential building encompasses a total area of 4,569 square meters, with each of the 45 officially protected housing units featuring two bedrooms designed for optimal functionality. The ground floor houses essential community facilities, while the building's architectural language deliberately engages in dialogue with the existing textile factory in the surrounding area, employing characteristic industrial design elements that honor the neighborhood's manufacturing heritage.
The construction methodology represents a revolutionary approach to social housing development, combining traditional "on-site" construction for foundations and ground floor work with cutting-edge "off-site" manufacturing through factory-assembled 3D modules. This dual construction strategy includes complete structural elements, enclosures, interior partitions, all installations, finishes, and equipment pre-installed in controlled factory conditions before transportation to the construction site.
The project's efficiency is demonstrated through the use of 104 prefabricated 3D modules that were transported and assembled on-site in just 15 days, significantly reducing construction timelines compared to traditional building methods. The entire project was completed in only 13 months, a remarkable achievement that showcases the potential of industrialized construction techniques. The structural system utilizes concrete columns and lightweight reinforced concrete slabs in a porticoed configuration, optimizing both material usage and construction costs.
Community integration has been carefully considered through a graduated transition design that moves from the main road to internal passages, entrance porches, and elevated access walkways to individual residences. These walkways function as "exterior passages" that serve the dual purpose of filtering access while enhancing neighborly relationships through the strategic appropriation of intermediate community spaces.
The building incorporates extensive community amenities, including multipurpose areas on the ground floor and a large community terrace on the roof featuring landscaped areas and shaded porch spaces specifically designed for neighborhood use. These shared spaces foster social interaction and community building among residents while providing additional functional areas for various activities.
Sustainability remains a central focus of the project, with the building achieving an A energy certification through a combination of passive and active environmental strategies. The bioclimatic design optimizes natural climate control while incorporating highly efficient systems including LED lighting throughout, aerothermal heating and cooling systems, and integrated photovoltaic solar panels designed to achieve nearly zero consumption of non-renewable energy sources.
The prefabrication process has ensured superior quality control through factory site visits and standardized manufacturing processes, while also significantly decreasing environmental impact during construction through optimization techniques and substantial waste reduction. The project guarantees complete material life cycle closure at the end of the building's operational life, demonstrating long-term environmental responsibility.
Safety and worker comfort improvements were notable benefits of the prefabricated construction approach, with all modules being waterproofed at the factory level to ensure proper transportation and assembly using large-tonnage mobile cranes. The installations were thoroughly tested and verified in factory conditions before transportation, ensuring optimal functionality upon assembly.
The architectural proposal presents the residential building as a livable infrastructure with clear modular structure that allows for flexible use both in the present and future, with possibilities for adaptive reuse and changes of function as community needs evolve. This forward-thinking approach ensures the building's long-term viability and adaptability to changing urban requirements while maintaining its essential function as affordable housing for the community.
