In 2022, GCA Architects completed one of their most ambitious projects to date: the Smart22@ building. Located in GCA’s home city of Barcelona, Spain, the building sits in the former industrial barrio of Poblenou. As Spain’s first intelligent building, Smart22@ sets a new standard for responsible, sustainable urban reinvention. Founded in 1986, GCA has won international awards and acclaim for its projects, which champion responsible architecture. 

Design with accountability

Once known as the ‘neighbourhood of 1000 chimneys’, Poblenou is home to the 22@ district, now a tech industry hub. GCA’s vision for Smart22@ respects the area’s industrial past while creating a building that would embody sustainability and social responsibility. 

To find out more, we spoke to Juan Velasco, Associate at GCA Architects. After finishing his studies at the Barcelona School of Architecture in 2012, Juan joined GCA, where Smart22@ is among his most important projects.

“Given that our buildings last for years, we have a duty to design in a very responsible way,” says Juan. “We did not want [to create] a huge volume that would be oblivious to its surroundings.” 

An industrial legacy

One of Smart@22’s neighbours is the two-storey Escocesa Factory, now a creative space. “For Smart@22, we envisioned a building that steps from 12 storeys to seven and then to two,” says Juan. “This resulted in a seamless connection to the old factory.”

Some design decisions were inspired by the materials and hues of Poblenou’s past. “The façade materials maintain a close connection to the industrial past,” says Juan. “These include terracotta and iron, as well as a colour palette inspired by the old brick chimneys found throughout the neighbourhood.”

Low-carbon approaches

As part of its smart building strategy, GCA aimed for savings in both operational and embodied carbon. “We tried to use locally sourced materials,” says Juan. “When that wasn't possible, we aimed for materials from the closest locations available.”

Sensors were installed to track air quality, occupancy and natural light in order to monitor and reduce energy waste. The building’s reuse of grey water as well as flow-reduction measures help to maximise water savings.

By looking forwards as well as to the past, GCA Architects have created a modern-day icon that honours Poblenou’s story. Thanks to the architects, this historic area is now on the map of contemporary global architecture.