Barcelona, a city well-known for its avant-garde architecture, both modern and historic, is going green. Local firm Architecture Anna Noguera has just completed work on the Turó de la Peira’s Sports Center, a solar-powered complex covered in a lush green facade. The building’s innovative hydroponic system includes a rainwater collection system that irrigates the vegetation year-round.
Once known as a beautiful green area in the city, Barcelona’s Turó de la Peira Quarter was taken over by urban sprawl during the 1960s. Since then, the neighborhood has been suffocated with construction. Recently, the government decided to give the neighborhood a massive green overhaul, including the addition of a new solar-powered sports center wrapped in vegetation.
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At the hands of Architecture Anna Noguera, the Turó de la Peira Sports Center, which features a heated swimming pool on the ground floor and a sports court on the second floor, was constructed out of two existing buildings. Strategically combining the two buildings, the architects were able to add an abundance of natural lighting throughout the building thanks to a new translucent facade and 24 skylights. The light, along with the addition of prefab timber used on the walls and ceiling, gives the structure a healthy, modern atmosphere.
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Without a doubt, however, the center’s most eye-catching feature is its green envelope. The building has been equipped with a hydroponic planting system, which wraps lush vegetation around the building. To keep the vegetation irrigated, a rooftop rainwater collection system filters water into a large tank in the basement.
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In addition to its green facade, the building incorporates several energy-efficient systems. A massive solar array takes up the entire rooftop, generating 95.534 kWh per year. Additionally, the building has an innovative aerothermal system that allows the recovery of heat for the center’s hot water needs.
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