Jesús Granada · Architectural Photographer

136 Social Housing Units in Gavà, Barcelona

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Aerial view of the complex at sunset looking west over the Llobregat Agricultural Park. 136 social housing units in Gavà, Spain. Harquitectes. Photography by Jesús Granada.
Aerial view of the complex at sunset over the Llobregat Agricultural Park. (inv. JG1121-36)

Project essentials

Typology
Residential architecture › Social housing
Materials
concrete · timber · ceramic
Concepts
central cloister atrium · non-hierarchical 10.6 m² modules · cross ventilation · hybrid structure · parking under building footprint · drainage garden · native vegetation

136 social housing units developed for IMPSOL in Gavà, on a plot that mediates between the Serra de les Ferreres and the Llobregat Agricultural Park. The staggered volumes adapt to the natural slope; parking is gathered beneath the building footprint, freeing the ground for a drainage garden of native shrubs, holm oaks and carobs.

Each block encloses a cloister-like central atrium that works as a chamber of filtered light: the vertical cores rise through it and serve four apartments per landing. Rooms open simultaneously toward the outer landscape and the inner courtyard, taking cross-light that shifts with orientation and time of day. Each apartment is built around identical, non-hierarchical 10.6 m² modules — interchangeable as living room, kitchen or bedroom.

Cloister-like inner courtyard between two blocks. 136 social housing units in Gavà, Spain. Harquitectes. Photography by Jesús Granada.
Patio interior tipo claustro entre dos bloques (image no. JG1121-16)
The complex seen from outside the plot with staggered volumes on the slope. 136 social housing units in Gavà, Spain. Harquitectes. Photography by Jesús Granada.
El conjunto visto desde el exterior de la parcela, con los volúmenes escalonados sobre la pendiente (image no. JG1121-27)
Apartment interior with 10.6 m² module and continuous balcony toward the landscape. 136 social housing units in Gavà, Spain. Harquitectes. Photography by Jesús Granada.
Interior de una vivienda con módulo de 10,6 m² y balcón corrido al paisaje (image no. JG1121-14)

Project data

Architect
Harquitectes
Location
Gavà, Barcelona, Spain
Client
IMPSOL
Quantity surveyor
Carles Bou
Structural engineering
JFG Consultores
Services / MEP
Oriol Vidal Enginyeria
Collaborators
Néstor Morro, Montse Fornés, Guillem Canudas, Nicolás Ortiz, Maya Torres, Meri Mensa, María Espín, Eva Millán, Jorge Suárez, Anna Burgaya
Design
2017-2019
Construction
2020-2022
Area
16.509 m²
Awards
Shortlisted EU Mies Van der Rohe Award 2024
Premi Europeu d’Arquitectura Matilde Baffa Ugo Rivolta 2023
1r accèssit III Premis Temps de les Arts 2023
Premi ex aequo Premio ENOR 2023
Premiat BEAU XVI 2023
Finalista BEAU XVI 2023
Premi FAD de la opinió 2023
Finalista Premis FAD 2023
Photography
© Jesús Granada, 2024

Published in

Photographic report

Inventory number
JG1121
Production date
February 2024
Cameras
Sony α7RII
Lenses
Canon TS-E 17 mm f/4L · 24 mm f/3.5L II · 50 mm f/2.8L Macro · 90 mm f/2.8L Macro
Postproduction
María Arias de Saavedra
Digital archive
TIFF 8-bit · Adobe RGB 1998 · resolución 30 × 50 cm @ 400 ppi
Photographs
37 TIFF files · request license →