GCA Architects has unveiled the design for the refurbishment of Retama 3 in Madrid, a large 13,200m² office tower in the Méndez Álvaro area, owned by the French firm Ardian, which will invest 25 million euros in the project.

The project, winner of a restricted ideas competition organized by Ardian, intervenes in one of the visual access doors to the centre of Madrid, the entrance from the southeast, characterized by a series of towers on the edge of the M-30 motorway.
In an area bounded by the railway tracks and the M-30 ring road, GCA Architects unveils an elegant 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 the urban landscape, creating at the same time a new architectural reference for the expanding skyline of this area of the city."
Juan Riveiro, the partner at GCA Architects leads the Madrid office.

The project is based on the user’s well-being, conceiving work in both indoor and outdoor spaces, and integrating large terraces with abundant native vegetation. At the same time, GCA Architects is committed to sustainability with a design that incorporates the latest technologies to achieve the maximum score in the Leed Platinum, Breeam Excellent, Well Core and Shell, and Zero Carbon certifications.

GCA Architects has already completed several office projects in Madrid, such as the headquarters of Cuatrecasas, the interior design of the offices of CaixaBank “All in One” and Ferrovial, and hotel projects, such as the Hotel Axel.
 

Project description by GCA Architects

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 centre 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.

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GCA Architects, based in Barcelona, founded in 1986 by Josep Juanpere and Antonio Puig, is a study of architecture and interior design. Their management team is made up of seven partners and five young associates. With a trajectory of more than 35 years, they continue to design under a consolidated international dimension with works throughout the world.

Josep Juanpere.- He studied at the Technical Upper School of Architecture of Barcelona from 1970 to 1976. In 1986 he founds GCA architects with Antonio Puig. Antonio Puig.- He studied in the Technical Top School of Architecture of the Vallés from 1977 to 1984. In 1986 he founds GCA architects with Josep Juanpere.

GCA Architects has a multidimensional team of more than 100 professionals composed of senior architects, junior architects, building technicians, interior designers, consultants, project managers and communication specialists. In this way we guarantee that all projects are studied from start to finish and have all the experience of the company and its partners, as with all the freshness and innovation that new generations bring.

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