In Barcelona, scob architecture and landscape has reimagined three 1980s office blocks and their courtyards as a single, sustainable building: Aribau 195. Located at the heart of Eixample, not far from Passeig de Gracia and the Provenca railway station, Aribau 195 is a modern, flexible office building with a verdant 1500-square-meter garden at its heart.
The project has achieved LEED Platinum and WELL Gold certification, reflecting a commitment to sustainability and thoughtful design. More than 80% of the original structures were retained, while locally sourced and recycled materials were used to reduce embodied carbon and construction waste. Inside, energy-efficient mechanical and lighting systems minimise consumption, and the layout was carefully arranged to balance functionality with flexibility. The building is completed with a rooftop garden and PV panels for renewable energy.
A return to Ildefons Cerdà’s 1859 ‘Plan de Ensanche de Barcelona’
The Eixample district was laid out according to the “Plan de Ensanche de Barcelona,” a comprehensive urban expansion plan designed by Ildefons Cerdà in 1859 that was designed to accommodate the city's rapid growth in the 19th century. Cerdà’s design called for open interior courtyards to provide sunlight, ventilation and communal space for residents. Over time, many of these courtyards were built over, reducing the green space that Cerdà had envisioned.
With Aribau 195, scob has consciously restored this concept. The original courtyards, once occupied by technical installations and impermeable surfaces, have been consolidated into a central landscaped heart that spans 1,500 square meters. Here, over 5000 plants, insect hotels, birdhouses and vegetable plots have transformed the space into a place that connects people directly to nature. Green roofs and vertical gardens act as thermal and acoustic buffers, the southwest-facing facade has been strung with deciduous climbers that serve a crucial bioclimatic role: offering shade in summer and allowing for solar gain in winter.
Material efficiency and retention provide sustainable, high performance
The building’s structure has been refurbished with steel deck composite floor systems, a concrete compression layer and rolled steel beams—adding many years to its life. The dynamic facade of the front of the building is composed of high performance concrete, chestnut wood and double glazing that offers high thermal and sound insulation from the exterior. The rear facade, which overlooks the inner courtyard, is a steel curtain wall backed by double glazing, argon chamber and landscaped terraces. Aribau 195 is powered by renewables, with electricity harnessed by photovoltaic panels installed on the roof of the building.
Flexible floorplans allow for evolving use across time
The reconfigured floorplans of the buildings allows the new office space to provide over 8300-square-meters of flexible workspaces designed to meet the evolving needs of businesses. The inclusion of expansive 1200-square-meter floorplates, which can be leased as entire units or divided into smaller sections, ensures the space remains adaptable while maximising options for tenants. To optimise the quality of the spaces, the ceilings have been revealed by the renovation—giving them a minimum height of 2.5 meters. Interiors have been finished using 100% FSC-certified wood, recyclable floor aggregates, lime-based eco paint and recycled HPL panelling. The building also includes charging areas for electric vehicles and bicycle parking.
A green gear shift for one of Europe’s densest areas
The project’s sustainability efforts will also impact the district more broadly. Located in one of Europe’s densest areas, a place with just 2 square meters of green per inhabitant, Aribau 195 transforms a tightly packed block into a resilient workspace. Its sustainable systems—rainwater harvesting, closed-loop irrigation and natural filtration—reduce heat, cleanse the air and help manage stormwater, creating a healthier urban microclimate and reducing the urban heat island effect. By reimagining what a dense city block can offer, Aribau 195 sets a new standard for how architecture can enhance both work and life in the heart of our cities.
