GCA Architects unveils the refurbishment project for a tower in Retama 3, Madrid
- GCA Architects has unveiled the design for the refurbishment of Retama 3 in Madrid, a large 13,200 m2 office tower in Méndez Álvaro owned by the French firm Ardian, which will invest 25 million euros in the project.
- This new project confirms GCA Architects as one of the most promising architectural firms in Madrid today.
The project, winner of a restricted ideas competition organized by Ardian, is the refurbishment of an office tower in the booming Méndez Álvaro district of Madrid. In an area bounded by the railway tracks and the M- 30 ring road, GCA Architects unveils a solution with an innovative spirit based on bioclimatic principles and a conception of lightness. "The new design rehabilitates the existing building while respecting the rhythm and urban landscape, creating at the same time a new architectural reference for the expanding skyline of this area of the city," says Juan Riveiro, the GCA partner who leads the Madrid office, together with Jorge Baselga and Luis Guillem, associates.
Ardian and GCA Architects are committed to sustainability with a design incorporating the latest technologies to achieve the maximum score in the Leed Platinum, Breeam Excellent, Well Core and Shell and Zero Carbon certifications. The project is based on the user's well-being, conceiving work in indoor and outdoor spaces and integrating large terraces with abundant vegetation that favor the work development of future users. The ground floor rests on a stone plinth where the lobby is conceived as a meeting space thanks to a tiered seating area connecting with the first floor and as an auditorium. The tower is wrapped by a two-story cantilevered body that houses the coworking function.
The interior spaces stand out for their spaciousness and luminosity thanks to their reconfiguration around the new central core, making the use of spaces and circulations more flexible and incorporating the new paradigms of collaborative work. The morphology of the project creates large outdoor spaces on the roof of the podium and tower with green areas and a plaza accompanied by various user-oriented amenities. The program also includes a center offering fitness and relaxation areas. The penthouse floor, with 360º views of the entire city, is surrounded by plant species and is protected by a photovoltaic pergola.
The play of volumes emphasizes the vertical and iconic character of the tower. The design has a system of double-height terraces that rotate as the tower gains levels, connecting the offices with outdoor spaces where we find abundant vegetation, responding to the parameters of biophilic design. The building's image is recognizable by the use of metal ribs that will form part of the new façade curtain wall and curved glass in the corner for a more friendly dialogue with the other towers in the area. Three materials have been chosen for the proposal: metal, wood, and glass, seeking a chromatic and sensitive balance that reinforces the sobriety and contemporaneity of the design as a whole. The 14-story tower, visible from the train tracks and the southern access highway to the city, will serve as an urban gateway into the heart of Madrid, becoming a new landmark for the growing skyline of the area.
Team:
Architecture Firm: GCA Architects
Partner: Francisco de Paz, Juan Riveiro
Project Leader: Juan Riveiro
Renders credits: ERGØN & WØLF - Creative Studio
Client: Ardian Jeasure S.L.U.
Project Management: Hill International
Structural Engineer: BAC Engeneering
MEP Engineer: ATEI Ingenieros
Façade consultants: ENAR Consultores
Landscape: Herbanova
Leed Consultants: Deerns
