The projects of affordable-rental public housing for young people of the Can Fabra complex and the cohousing building of La Borda have been nominated for the 2022 edition of the Mies van der Rohe Architecture Award given by the European Union (EU). 40 projects were selected from a total of 532 proposals. The selection process valued social inclusion, sustainability, circularity and aesthetic conception. Can Fabra and La Borda, along with the Turó de la Peira Sports Centre, form the three Barcelona projects opting for this prestigious award. In total, five Catalan projects have been nominated. In addition to the Barcelona projects, this recognition has also been given to 85 Social Housing Units in Cornellà de Llobregat and the action carried out at the Torre Merola in Puig Reig. The five finalists will be announced on 16 February, and the winner in early May within the framework of the EU Mies Award Day.
Constructed in the industrial buildings of the old Fabra i Coats industrial complex in the district of Sant Andreu del Palomar, the project by the Roldán Berengué Arquitectes firm is conceived for young people and also houses the space for the ‘human towers’ association Colla Castellera Jove de Barcelona. The complex includes 44 homes designed for young people aged between 18 and 35, with an average floor area of 64 square metres, and large common spaces which can be shared according to the requirements. This is Barcelona’s first public rental homes building constructed in an industrial complex maintaining its exterior structure. Notable features of the construction are its sustainability and the use of recycled materials with low energy impact. This is not the first recognition received by Can Fabra: it recently won the 2021 FAD Architecture Prize.
La Borda, for its part, is a project designed to recover Can Batlló, an old industrial enclosure from the late 19th century located in the Sants-Montjuic district, on a plot assigned by the Barcelona City Council for 75 years. This project, which had the participation of the Lacol architects’ cooperative, became the city’s first new-build cohousing building. It contains 28 homes and various spaces for community use like the kitchen, the dining room, the laundry or several multi-purpose rooms that serve to stimulate neighbourly relations. It is constructed mainly of wood, following the criteria of sustainability, to reduce the environmental impact to a minimum. La Borda has also been recognised by various distinctions such as the Special Innovation Prize at the European Responsible Housing Awards (2019) or the City of Barcelona Prize (2018).
The Mies van der Rohe Architecture Award is one of the most prestigious international prizes in the field of architecture. Presented every two years, its goals are to attain a profound understanding of the transformation of the constructed setting; to recognise and disseminate excellence and innovation in architecture; and to publicise the important contribution made by architects in the development of new ideas with the indispensable support of the clients and the participation of the people who will become the inhabitants and users of these buildings.