Eurocity is a mixed use development in Gibraltar containing 360 apartments, 3000sq.m of commercial space, a gym, spa, swimming pool, parking and extensive landscaped gardens. 

The Manser Practice won an invited competition to redevelop the site, a surface car park, while also reimagining the architectural language of Gibraltar, creating a building that would embolden future developments in the country.

The competition-winning design contains three residential blocks oriented north-south to minimise the number of north-facing flats, reduce overheating of the south-facing flats, and maximise views to the east and west towards the Rock and the Bay of Gibraltar respectively. The blocks are angled to open up views of the Rock from neighbouring developments, and to create a welcoming, generous entrance at ground level on the north façade, the main pedestrian route between Gibraltar’s new town and old town. 

The curved forms maximise sunlight to the lower levels and provide a distinctive new building typology for the city. Located just a 5 minute walk from the sea, its nautical influences are unmistakable, but some are more subtle: yacht-like cable fencing allows planting to grow through, and the natural anodised finish was inspired by the masts of sailing yachts in the nearby marinas. The building’s ‘butterfly’ shaped roofs collect rainwater for the podium gardens, which have been designed as a series of unique habitats to enhance the biodiversity of the site and the surrounding area.

Internally, each apartment features frameless, full height doors, floor to ceiling windows, and a calm, neutral palette of materials specially selected for the Mediterranean climate. Gibraltar is warm and breezy, which has influenced the balcony design too. These outdoor spaces are large enough for al fresco dining, partially recessed to reduce overheating, and have glass balustrades to protect residents from the occasional strong winds. 

On the lower levels, a helical staircase takes people up through two levels of public car parking to the podium gardens, with a swimming pool and residents’ gardens beyond. Podium developments are common in Gibraltar because most people own cars, but day-to-day almost everywhere (the whole country!) is walkable in less than twenty minutes. This meant that the building had to accommodate both a large amount of parking and also be pedestrian friendly. The solution was to squeeze in a half-basement level of car parking, just above the high tide water line, with the remainder of the parking at first and second floors, screened by a landscaped edge. This allowed the majority of the ground floor to be used for offices, a gym, health spa, retail units and residential lobbies, arranged either side of a public arcade. 

A central ‘oculus’ brings natural light down through the parking levels and creates a cool courtyard at the centre of the development, providing a quiet green escape away from the traffic and midday heat, inspired in part by the territory’s North African architectural heritage. 

Now its final phase has completed, the project has transformed a surface car park on reclaimed land into a landmark development that has helped regenerate the local area, and given planners confidence to demand better quality from all future developments in the country.