An abandoned industrial building originally built in 1905 is currently undergoing a revitalization project to become a new office building for Acciona, a Spanish sustainable infrastructure and energy company. The Madrid-based building is being designed by Foster + Partners and will include over 107,000-sf of new office space and a unique mix of private and public land with green landscaping.
The building was originally built as a natural gas plan that supplied energy to the surrounding areas and had fallen into disuse until Acciona acquired it in 2017. The project will introduce a series of stepped floors that create terraces sheltered under the historic roof.
The lightweight structure will be made from timber sustainably sourced from local forests. It will allow for spatial flexibility while also integrating lighting, ventilation, and other services within. The timber structure will save over 1,000 tons of CO2 and is recyclable and demountable. A central skylight will bring natural light into the building’s interior, reducing the need for artificial lighting. Silicon plates that generate electricity will also be incorporated.
The project will include a new courtyard (within which is a new ground floor space with a garden roof) that leads to a large 100,000-sf+ park with 300 trees, outdoor working spaces, and areas for informal meetings.
The project is currently under construction.
Related Stories
Giants 400 | Feb 3, 2023
Top Workplace/Interior Fitout Architecture, Engineering, and Construction Firms for 2022
Gensler, Interior Architects, AECOM, STO Building Group, and CBRE top the ranking of the nation's largest workplace/interior fitout architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2022 Giants 400 Report.
Multifamily Housing | Jan 23, 2023
Long Beach, Calif., office tower converted to market rate multifamily housing
A project to convert an underperforming mid-century office tower in Long Beach, Calif., created badly needed market rate housing with a significantly lowered carbon footprint. The adaptive reuse project, composed of 203,177 sf including parking, created 106 apartment units out of a Class B office building that had been vacant for about 10 years.
Mechanical Systems | Jan 17, 2023
Why the auto industry is key to designing healthier, more comfortable buildings
Peter Alspach of NBBJ shares how workplaces can benefit from a few automotive industry techniques.
Government Buildings | Jan 9, 2023
Blackstone, Starwood among real estate giants urging President Biden to repurpose unused federal office space for housing
The Real Estate Roundtable, a group including major real estate firms such as Brookfield Properties, Blackstone, Empire State Realty Trust, Starwood Capital, as well as multiple major banks and CRE professional organizations, recently sent a letter to President Joe Biden on the implications of remote work within the federal government.
Sustainability | Jan 9, 2023
Innovative solutions emerge to address New York’s new greenhouse gas law
New York City’s Local Law 97, an ambitious climate plan that includes fines for owners of large buildings that don’t significantly reduce carbon emissions, has spawned innovations to address the law’s provisions.
Fire and Life Safety | Jan 9, 2023
Why lithium-ion batteries pose fire safety concerns for buildings
Lithium-ion batteries have become the dominant technology in phones, laptops, scooters, electric bikes, electric vehicles, and large-scale battery energy storage facilities. Here’s what you need to know about the fire safety concerns they pose for building owners and occupants.
Cladding and Facade Systems | Dec 20, 2022
Acoustic design considerations at the building envelope
Acentech's Ben Markham identifies the primary concerns with acoustic performance at the building envelope and offers proven solutions for mitigating acoustic issues.
Sponsored | Resiliency | Dec 14, 2022
Flood protection: What building owners need to know to protect their properties
This course from Walter P Moore examines numerous flood protection approaches and building owner needs before delving into the flood protection process. Determining the flood resilience of a property can provide a good understanding of risk associated costs.
HVAC | Dec 13, 2022
Energy Management Institute launches online tool to connect building owners with HVAC contractors
The National Energy Management Institute Inc. (NEMI) along with the Biden administration’s Better Air in Buildings website have rolled out a resource to help building owners and managers, school districts, and other officials find HVAC contractors.
Adaptive Reuse | Dec 9, 2022
What's old is new: Why you should consider adaptive reuse
While new construction allows for incredible levels of customization, there’s no denying that new buildings can have adverse impacts on the climate, budgets, schedules and even the cultural and historic fabrics of communities.
