Shaping a circular industrial ecosystem and supporting life-cycle thinking
Revitalizing Obsolete Construction
Timeless Structures, Modern Touch: Revitalizing Old-Style Construction
BEATING OBSOLESCENCE (IN CONSTRUCTION)
evitar que el edificio quede obsoleto
Bridging past and present: Adapting historic structures for modern functionality
Reinventing Legacy: The New Life of
Bringing Heritage Back to Life: A New Chapter for
Architecture in Evolution: Restoring and Modernizing
evitar que el edificio quede obsoleto
Bridging past and present: Adapting historic structures for modern functionality
Reinventing Legacy: The New Life of
Bringing Heritage Back to Life: A New Chapter for
Architecture in Evolution: Restoring and Modernizing
Spain
Local
Barcelona
Mainly urban
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
Yes
2024-08-06
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
As an individual partnership with other persons/organisation(s)
Functional and structural rehabilitation
Heritage
Revitalize
Circularity
Decarbonisation
Timeless
Functional Rehabilitation of the Building
The main goal of the building’s functional rehabilitation was to repurpose the Mezzanine Floor (MF) to prevent its technical and functional obsolescence—since nothing is less sustainable than an empty building.
Previously, the MF served as a storage loft for the still-operating ground-floor commercial spaces, but it is now abandoned, leading to structural deterioration. While urban zoning allows residential and office use, its 2.20-meter height falls short of the 2.40 meters required by regulations. The challenge was to gain the missing 20 cm while preserving the existing floor slabs, as required by heritage protection.
The implemented solution was a groundbreaking pilot project, successfully raising 239.46 m² of flooring without breakage, extending its lifespan and avoiding massive rubble removal through Barcelona’s narrow historic streets. Neither the construction company, technical teams, nor the city council were aware of prior cases. In fact, the city council praised the project management team, suggesting this method could be applied to similar rehabilitation projects.
This approach ensures greater sustainability and heritage preservation, aligning with the overall intervention, where the layout design minimized structural alterations.
Beyond the primary objective, the project optimized space to create eight housing units, achieved through:
• Precision scanning, maximizing usable areas.
• Restoration of the central courtyard, restoring its original state to meet ventilation requirements, enabling two additional units.
From an energy perspective, single-pane windows were replaced with double glazing, and except for the medieval tower, interior insulation was added to the façade, reducing energy demand. An aerothermal system, efficient for Barcelona’s climate, further enhances sustainability.
The main goal of the building’s functional rehabilitation was to repurpose the Mezzanine Floor (MF) to prevent its technical and functional obsolescence—since nothing is less sustainable than an empty building.
Previously, the MF served as a storage loft for the still-operating ground-floor commercial spaces, but it is now abandoned, leading to structural deterioration. While urban zoning allows residential and office use, its 2.20-meter height falls short of the 2.40 meters required by regulations. The challenge was to gain the missing 20 cm while preserving the existing floor slabs, as required by heritage protection.
The implemented solution was a groundbreaking pilot project, successfully raising 239.46 m² of flooring without breakage, extending its lifespan and avoiding massive rubble removal through Barcelona’s narrow historic streets. Neither the construction company, technical teams, nor the city council were aware of prior cases. In fact, the city council praised the project management team, suggesting this method could be applied to similar rehabilitation projects.
This approach ensures greater sustainability and heritage preservation, aligning with the overall intervention, where the layout design minimized structural alterations.
Beyond the primary objective, the project optimized space to create eight housing units, achieved through:
• Precision scanning, maximizing usable areas.
• Restoration of the central courtyard, restoring its original state to meet ventilation requirements, enabling two additional units.
From an energy perspective, single-pane windows were replaced with double glazing, and except for the medieval tower, interior insulation was added to the façade, reducing energy demand. An aerothermal system, efficient for Barcelona’s climate, further enhances sustainability.
Building: 18th Century
Objectives:
Showcase the city's history and the essence of the building, even with a private use.
How it's achieved:
Restored ceilings and the 11th-century tower rehabilitated, leaving the wooden joist slab exposed.
What makes it exemplary:
Each of the homes is unique, both aesthetically and functionally.
Each unit has its own strong personality and story.
The design caters to different people and living styles.
Revaluation of culture through aesthetics:
The building's aesthetic = its essence.
Objectives:
Showcase the city's history and the essence of the building, even with a private use.
How it's achieved:
Restored ceilings and the 11th-century tower rehabilitated, leaving the wooden joist slab exposed.
What makes it exemplary:
Each of the homes is unique, both aesthetically and functionally.
Each unit has its own strong personality and story.
The design caters to different people and living styles.
Revaluation of culture through aesthetics:
The building's aesthetic = its essence.
Objectives:
Make homes accessible for diverse living profiles.
Ensure affordable rental prices.
How it's achieved:
An elevator is installed from the ground floor (PB) to the mezzanine floor (PEntl), the only level that wasn't accessible.
8 homes that meet all habitability conditions for Barcelona, ensuring access for elderly residents.
Affordable rental prices, facilitating access for young people.
What makes it exemplary:
Functional revaluation of the building.
Specific detail: In Local 5, where the elevator to the mezzanine is installed, there is a brick vault (known as "maó de pla") according to the attached heritage valuation report ("Annex of Heritage"). This vault will be demolished, and a new slab with metal profiles and ceramic vaults will be created, leaving space for the elevator. The execution project will provide the necessary dimensions.
Make homes accessible for diverse living profiles.
Ensure affordable rental prices.
How it's achieved:
An elevator is installed from the ground floor (PB) to the mezzanine floor (PEntl), the only level that wasn't accessible.
8 homes that meet all habitability conditions for Barcelona, ensuring access for elderly residents.
Affordable rental prices, facilitating access for young people.
What makes it exemplary:
Functional revaluation of the building.
Specific detail: In Local 5, where the elevator to the mezzanine is installed, there is a brick vault (known as "maó de pla") according to the attached heritage valuation report ("Annex of Heritage"). This vault will be demolished, and a new slab with metal profiles and ceramic vaults will be created, leaving space for the elevator. The execution project will provide the necessary dimensions.
Thanks to the vertical property and phased intervention, the apartments on the upper floors had already been rented out for a few years, and the property has been able to transfer all its experiences, which have been incorporated in the best possible way into the project (the knowledge has been transferred to the lower floors).
In interventions on historic buildings, the City Council as the "local actor" is responsible for heritage control affecting the works.
During the drafting of the project, there was collaboration with its representatives through visits to the building to explain the project ideas, which were approved.
The property entrusted MET and JJE (the architects) with the development of the rehabilitation project, and we formed a collaborative team under our direction.
Our collaborative team consisted of engineers, a technical architect, historians, and restorers of moldings and ceiling ornamentation.
Once the project was completed and approved, a construction company with extensive experience in the rehabilitation of historic buildings was incorporated into the team for the execution of the works.
Thanks to the City Council's heritage department and practices such as the one described, traditional construction systems, as well as the city's history and culture, are preserved.
During the drafting of the project, there was collaboration with its representatives through visits to the building to explain the project ideas, which were approved.
The property entrusted MET and JJE (the architects) with the development of the rehabilitation project, and we formed a collaborative team under our direction.
Our collaborative team consisted of engineers, a technical architect, historians, and restorers of moldings and ceiling ornamentation.
Once the project was completed and approved, a construction company with extensive experience in the rehabilitation of historic buildings was incorporated into the team for the execution of the works.
Thanks to the City Council's heritage department and practices such as the one described, traditional construction systems, as well as the city's history and culture, are preserved.
One old architect (77) and one young architect (30), technical engineer, historian, restorer, construction company, and city council. The interaction between all of them resulted in this successful results explained.
Innovative Floor Slab Elevation Methodology
The main innovation in this project is the floor slab elevation methodology, implemented for the first time with successful results in several key areas:
Material reuse and waste reduction, enhancing sustainability.
Repurposing functionally obsolete buildings, contributing to the revitalization of Spain’s built environment.
This, alongside optimizing space for eight housing units that meet regulatory minimums, was achieved by combining advanced building scanning technology with traditional exploratory methods.
Process Overview
Due to structural irregularities and the need for accurate plans, 3D scans of the ground, mezzanine (MF), and first floors (F1) were conducted. These scans provided precise measurements and clarified the work required.
Scanning the MF ceiling and F1 floor revealed slab thickness variations (38-42 cm) and unnecessary infill above the wooden joists and brick vaults. The solution: reduce slab thickness to achieve a 2.40m ceiling height in the MF while maintaining the F1 floor level.
Execution of Floor Slab Elevation
The elevation of the protected slab was completed in two phases:
Permit Stage – The original plan involved shifting wooden beams and reconstructing ceramic vaults individually.
Execution Stage – After reviewing on-site, the decision was made to lift the entire slab in sections instead of piece-by-piece reconstruction.
On-Site Safety Protocols
As the rehabilitation impacts the building’s structure while it remains occupied, safety measures were rigorously followed:
Beam replacement in phases, carried out in modules within designated areas.
Shoring for stability, with supports removed after work completion.
Clear communication with tenants, informing them of the works and allowing them to review the project and raise any concerns.
This method ensures safety and sustainability while allowing the building to remain occupied during construction.
The main innovation in this project is the floor slab elevation methodology, implemented for the first time with successful results in several key areas:
Material reuse and waste reduction, enhancing sustainability.
Repurposing functionally obsolete buildings, contributing to the revitalization of Spain’s built environment.
This, alongside optimizing space for eight housing units that meet regulatory minimums, was achieved by combining advanced building scanning technology with traditional exploratory methods.
Process Overview
Due to structural irregularities and the need for accurate plans, 3D scans of the ground, mezzanine (MF), and first floors (F1) were conducted. These scans provided precise measurements and clarified the work required.
Scanning the MF ceiling and F1 floor revealed slab thickness variations (38-42 cm) and unnecessary infill above the wooden joists and brick vaults. The solution: reduce slab thickness to achieve a 2.40m ceiling height in the MF while maintaining the F1 floor level.
Execution of Floor Slab Elevation
The elevation of the protected slab was completed in two phases:
Permit Stage – The original plan involved shifting wooden beams and reconstructing ceramic vaults individually.
Execution Stage – After reviewing on-site, the decision was made to lift the entire slab in sections instead of piece-by-piece reconstruction.
On-Site Safety Protocols
As the rehabilitation impacts the building’s structure while it remains occupied, safety measures were rigorously followed:
Beam replacement in phases, carried out in modules within designated areas.
Shoring for stability, with supports removed after work completion.
Clear communication with tenants, informing them of the works and allowing them to review the project and raise any concerns.
This method ensures safety and sustainability while allowing the building to remain occupied during construction.
Floor Slab Elevation Methodology
A test excavation confirmed the floor slab structure consists of 23 cm wooden joists supporting a double layer of manual rasilla (tile), forming the vault. Above this, there's an infill made of various materials, ranging from 14-16 cm, topped by a base layer supporting the flooring. The slab thickness varies between 38 cm and 42 cm.
Reinforcement and Elevation
The mezzanine floor was reinforced with a 4-5 cm concrete layer and mesh, connected to the existing joists and walls using L-shaped nails and 10 mm rods, embedded in the load-bearing walls with epoxy resin.
The floor was leveled to correct irregularities, and shoring ensured stability during the joist movement.
Objective
The goal was to recover the infill thickness and raise the mezzanine floor to a height of 2.40 m at the joist supports.
The process was performed in phases, room by room, exposing the joists and vaults, removing the infill until the slab was clear. The joists were then lifted as units. The area was shored from below, with the joists braced from above, and freed from their supports in the load-bearing walls, then propped up. A test was done with three joists, cutting the slab perimeter with a disc.
Elevation Process
Led by the supervisor, workers extended the props until the required height of 2.40 m beneath the joists was achieved. The load-bearing wall was then raised, and joist supports patched with mortar. A concrete compression layer with reinforcing mesh was applied, connecting the joists to the new layer.
Execution and Results
After the successful test, the same method was applied room by room until the entire floor was completed, preserving the original wooden joists and vaults. The finish level was maintained.
Specialized personnel executed the work, ensuring successful elevation while preserving the slab's appearance.
Photographs and project structural intervention summary files are attached for further clarification.
A test excavation confirmed the floor slab structure consists of 23 cm wooden joists supporting a double layer of manual rasilla (tile), forming the vault. Above this, there's an infill made of various materials, ranging from 14-16 cm, topped by a base layer supporting the flooring. The slab thickness varies between 38 cm and 42 cm.
Reinforcement and Elevation
The mezzanine floor was reinforced with a 4-5 cm concrete layer and mesh, connected to the existing joists and walls using L-shaped nails and 10 mm rods, embedded in the load-bearing walls with epoxy resin.
The floor was leveled to correct irregularities, and shoring ensured stability during the joist movement.
Objective
The goal was to recover the infill thickness and raise the mezzanine floor to a height of 2.40 m at the joist supports.
The process was performed in phases, room by room, exposing the joists and vaults, removing the infill until the slab was clear. The joists were then lifted as units. The area was shored from below, with the joists braced from above, and freed from their supports in the load-bearing walls, then propped up. A test was done with three joists, cutting the slab perimeter with a disc.
Elevation Process
Led by the supervisor, workers extended the props until the required height of 2.40 m beneath the joists was achieved. The load-bearing wall was then raised, and joist supports patched with mortar. A concrete compression layer with reinforcing mesh was applied, connecting the joists to the new layer.
Execution and Results
After the successful test, the same method was applied room by room until the entire floor was completed, preserving the original wooden joists and vaults. The finish level was maintained.
Specialized personnel executed the work, ensuring successful elevation while preserving the slab's appearance.
Photographs and project structural intervention summary files are attached for further clarification.
The slab elevation methodology can be fully transferred to many other cases in need of functional rehabilitation. This was suggested to us by the city council staff, who were impressed by the results, as they had never witnessed such a construction intervention, with such a high level of precision and respect for heritage.
Following this project, it has been confirmed that building scanning technology is essential to carry out such complex work.
Following this project, it has been confirmed that building scanning technology is essential to carry out such complex work.
Circular economy: Thanks to the methodology for recovering the historical slab structure, it contributes to giving a second life to a slab that can continue fulfilling its function, with the added value of making an entire floor usable.
Decarbonisation: Thanks to the minimization of waste by reusing materials and the energy efficiency of the homes. The construction sector is one of the most polluting, responsible for approximately 38% of global emissions, so there is a huge potential for improvement in this sector. Advances like the one described are crucial to achieving the European goals set out in the 2030 and 2050 agendas.
Obsolete building stock in Spain: This is a serious problem in the country today, as regulations are increasingly demanding for comprehensive rehabilitations, making it difficult to reuse the built environment and give it a new purpose. There are many examples where a structurally sound building has had to be demolished simply due to functional obsolescence, a concept that is entirely contrary to sustainability goals.
Housing demand:
This rehabilitation addresses the growing demand for housing. Here are some official figures from OHB (www.ohb.cat):
• 15.2% of the Catalan population over 16 years old, equivalent to 1,014,710 adults, is actively searching for housing in the fourth quarter of 2024.
• Housing demand is significantly higher in Barcelona city (17.8%), followed by the metropolitan area excluding Barcelona city (16.1%) and Catalonia outside the metropolitan region (15.6%).
• The population segments with higher demand than the average are: women (15.8%), adults aged 16 to 44 (52.5%), foreign population (26.6%), and the working-age population, whether employed (19.7%) or unemployed (21.6%).
• The demand for rental housing is higher than the demand for ownership among women (55.8%), the foreign population (64.7%), those with low education levels (60.9%), and the unemployed (59.1%).
Decarbonisation: Thanks to the minimization of waste by reusing materials and the energy efficiency of the homes. The construction sector is one of the most polluting, responsible for approximately 38% of global emissions, so there is a huge potential for improvement in this sector. Advances like the one described are crucial to achieving the European goals set out in the 2030 and 2050 agendas.
Obsolete building stock in Spain: This is a serious problem in the country today, as regulations are increasingly demanding for comprehensive rehabilitations, making it difficult to reuse the built environment and give it a new purpose. There are many examples where a structurally sound building has had to be demolished simply due to functional obsolescence, a concept that is entirely contrary to sustainability goals.
Housing demand:
This rehabilitation addresses the growing demand for housing. Here are some official figures from OHB (www.ohb.cat):
• 15.2% of the Catalan population over 16 years old, equivalent to 1,014,710 adults, is actively searching for housing in the fourth quarter of 2024.
• Housing demand is significantly higher in Barcelona city (17.8%), followed by the metropolitan area excluding Barcelona city (16.1%) and Catalonia outside the metropolitan region (15.6%).
• The population segments with higher demand than the average are: women (15.8%), adults aged 16 to 44 (52.5%), foreign population (26.6%), and the working-age population, whether employed (19.7%) or unemployed (21.6%).
• The demand for rental housing is higher than the demand for ownership among women (55.8%), the foreign population (64.7%), those with low education levels (60.9%), and the unemployed (59.1%).
The surface area of the elevated floor slab is 239.46 m².
Construction plans of the completed work are attached, where the surfaces of the apartments and the elements that compose them can be consulted.
Comparative plans are attached, showing demolitions in yellow and new dividing walls in red.
Construction plans of the completed work are attached, where the surfaces of the apartments and the elements that compose them can be consulted.
Comparative plans are attached, showing demolitions in yellow and new dividing walls in red.
