Mercat de Santa Caterina Housing Complex

Markus Kuntscher, Ulrike Wietzorrek

Description

Access:

Patio; interior corridor/central corridor; interior stairwell; stairwells lit by windows.

Interior space:

These small 1-room apartments for seniors feature a variety of spatial constellations thanks to the powerful, sculptural detailing of the building volume. The bathrooms and toilets are usually located in the center of the apartments, where there is no natural light. The living spaces benefit from the surprising, spatially diverse prospects into the densely built old town of Barcelona.

Exterior space:

Terraces, balconies, common outdoor areas above the second floor.

Morphology:

The project is based on the complex integration of two building volumes into a densely built urban context. The volumes are so sculptural in form that a serene courtyard results right next to a bustling market. The white plaster surfaces of the facade are recessed, relieflike, around the windows. This is reinforced by the striking form of the wooden sliding shutters, which are designed with plaster in mind.

Drawings

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Site plan, scale 1:2000

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Apartment access diagram

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Ground floor, scale 1:500

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Second floor, scale 1:500

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Fourth floor, scale 1:500

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Sixth floor, scale 1:500

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Sample apartment, scale 1:200

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Cross section, scale 1:500

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Elevation, scale 1:500

Photos

Exterior view

View of courtyard towards market


Originally published in: Peter Ebner, Eva Herrmann, Roman Höllbacher, Markus Kuntscher, Ulrike Wietzorrek, Typology +: Innovative Residential Architecture, Birkhäuser, 2009.

Building Type Housing

Morphological Type Block Infill/Block Edge

Urban Context Urban Block Structure

Architect Benedetta Tagliabue, Eric Miralles, Miralles Tagliabue EMBT

Year 2005

Location Barcelona

Country Spain

Geometric Organization Complex Geometries

Building Depth Up to ca. 13 m

Number of Units 59 units, rented apartments for seniors

Size of Units 4 units with 2 rooms; 55 units with 1 room

Height Mid-Rise (4 to 7 levels)

Load-Bearing Structure Column-and-Slab, Solid Construction

Access Type Corridor, Gallery/Street in the Air

Layout Living Room as Circulation Center

Parking Underground parking garage

New Building, Refurbishment or Extension New Building

Additional Information Building volumes: Ensemble of two solitary volumes connected by bridge elements; 6 floors

Client Foment de Ciutat Vella S.A.

Address Calle Colomines 3
Barcelona, Spain

Map Link to Map