Multiple housing combinations between dividing walls. Seven lives by Anna y Eugeni Bach
03/03/2021.
[Horta - BCN] Spain
metalocus, PAULA ARIAS
metalocus, PAULA ARIAS
The Seven Lives residential building has been built by the Anna & Eugeni Bach architecture office in the Horta neighborhood, district of the city of Barcelona.
The project consists of a housing block between party walls that seeks to adapt to the characteristics of the neighborhood, while maintaining the essence of its surroundings. They use typical elements and proportions of openings similar to those of the rest of the houses in the neighborhood, but at the same time, they give the construction a contemporary and unique air.
The project consists of a housing block between party walls that seeks to adapt to the characteristics of the neighborhood, while maintaining the essence of its surroundings. They use typical elements and proportions of openings similar to those of the rest of the houses in the neighborhood, but at the same time, they give the construction a contemporary and unique air.
Seven lives by Anna y Eugeni Bach. Photograph by Eugeni Bach
Seven lives by Anna y Eugeni Bach. Photograph by Eugeni Bach
Seven lives by Anna y Eugeni Bach. Photograph by Eugeni Bach
Seven lives by Anna y Eugeni Bach. Photograph by Eugeni Bach
Seven lives by Anna y Eugeni Bach. Photograph by Eugeni Bach
Seven lives by Anna y Eugeni Bach. Photograph by Eugeni Bach
Seven lives by Anna y Eugeni Bach. Photograph by Eugeni Bach
Seven lives by Anna y Eugeni Bach. Photograph by Eugeni Bach
Seven lives by Anna y Eugeni Bach. Photograph by Eugeni Bach
Seven lives by Anna y Eugeni Bach. Photograph by Eugeni Bach
Seven lives by Anna y Eugeni Bach. Photograph by Eugeni Bach
Seven lives by Anna y Eugeni Bach. Photograph by Eugeni Bach
Seven lives by Anna y Eugeni Bach. Photograph by Eugeni Bach
Seven lives by Anna y Eugeni Bach. Photograph by Eugeni Bach
Seven lives by Anna y Eugeni Bach. Photograph by Eugeni Bach
Seven lives by Anna y Eugeni Bach. Photograph by Eugeni Bach
Seven lives by Anna y Eugeni Bach. Photograph by Eugeni Bach
Seven lives by Anna y Eugeni Bach. Photograph by Eugeni Bach
Seven lives by Anna y Eugeni Bach. Photograph by Eugeni Bach
Seven lives by Anna y Eugeni Bach. Photograph by Eugeni Bach
Site plan. Seven lives by Anna y Eugeni Bach
Location plan. Seven lives by Anna y Eugeni Bach
Ground floor plan. Seven lives by Anna y Eugeni Bach
First floor plan. Seven lives by Anna y Eugeni Bach
Second floor plan. Seven lives by Anna y Eugeni Bach
Third floor plan. Seven lives by Anna y Eugeni Bach
Street elevation. Seven lives by Anna y Eugeni Bach
Courtyard elevation. Seven lives by Anna y Eugeni Bach
Longitudinal section. Seven lives by Anna y Eugeni Bach
Elevation. Seven lives by Anna y Eugeni Bach
Sketch. Seven lives by Anna y Eugeni Bach
Sketch. Seven lives by Anna y Eugeni Bach
Model. Seven lives by Anna y Eugeni Bach
This dwellings building designed by the Anna & Eugeni Bach studio solves the surface problem by occupying the central spaces on the ground floor with the stairs, kitchen, bathroom... freeing up the areas that face both facades for room spaces.
This formal configuration allows the house to be inhabited from a traditional point of view (double room on one façade and dining room on the other), or as a shared house with symmetrical rooms on both facades. From these possible combinations the name of the project arises; seven lives, seven ways of inhabiting space.
This formal configuration allows the house to be inhabited from a traditional point of view (double room on one façade and dining room on the other), or as a shared house with symmetrical rooms on both facades. From these possible combinations the name of the project arises; seven lives, seven ways of inhabiting space.
Description of project by Anna & Eugeni Bach
The project consists of a small block of three tiny apartments on a plot between established buildings in the old centre of the Horta neighbourhood in Barcelona.
Our first reflection in acting in this sort of urban environment, so characteristic of the city, is to design a proposal that both conserves the character of the neighbourhood while doing so from a contemporary perspective.
In this sense, the façade facing the street is made up of the usual elements and proportions in the neighbourhood: balconies, blinds, baseboards, stucco, etc. But we give the facade a twist in its details and the simplicity of its elements, with the peculiarity that one of these elements escapes from the perimeter of the façade. The effect is, on the one hand, to tie up the neighbouring lot, which is the only one on the street that does not comply with the rules of “good neighbourliness”, as it has one more floor than is allowed. On the other hand, it promotes the open space of the terrace, as another living space for the enjoyment of the neighbours.
The plot is tight in all its dimensions, allowing for an apartment of only 40 sqm per floor. Given the scarcity of surface, the proposal adds value to the homes through a central space that includes the staircase, kitchen and bathroom. This provides for two equal spaces on both facades, one faces the street and the other the block’s interior patio.
With this solution, we intend to provide a certain indeterminacy in the use of these spaces. They can be set up as a traditional home, with the placement of a double room on one side and a living room on the other, or they can provide for a shared home in the style of a student flat, with two symmetrical spaces.
Summing up all of the different combinations, there are seven ways of living in these three houses, seven lives, like seven windows.
More information
Architects
Collaborators
Project architect.- Roger Molas. Architect.- Mario Sousa. Students.- Milagros Caputo and Eric Broder (model). Structure.- Masala Consultors. Facilities.- Atres80, SL / Joan Escanelles. Technical architect.- Xavier Bages.
Builder
Construcciones Tomás Gracia, SA.
Developer
Auriac.
Dates
2020.
Location
Horta. Barcelona, Spain.
Photography
Anna Bach, Eugeni Bach. Anna and Eugeni Bach
Anna & Eugeni Bach is an architecture studio founded in 1999 by Anna Bach and Eugeni Bach. The study operates in a broad spectrum of design, from urban planning and architecture to interior and object design.
Anna Bach, Nummi, Finland, 1973. Architect by the Helsinki University of Technology, 2001. Visitant professor at 'Taller Vertical' in ESARQ UIC, Barcelona, directed by Duncan Lewis (1999). PDI Professor in EINA – Univeristy Center of Design and Art in Barcelona, Universitat Autónoma de Bellaterra, Barcelona (2008 – currently).
Eugeni Bach, Barcelona, Spain 1974. Architect by the ETSAB, UPC, 1999. Visitant professor at 'Taller Vertical' in ESARQ UIC, Barcelona, directed by Duncan Lewis (1999). Proffesor in the Mies van der Rohe Chair, ETSAB UPC, under the direction of David Chipperfield (2001). Projects Proffesor in La Salle School of Architecture, Universitat Ramon Llull, Barcelona (2005 - currently).
Anna Bach, Nummi, Finland, 1973. Architect by the Helsinki University of Technology, 2001. Visitant professor at 'Taller Vertical' in ESARQ UIC, Barcelona, directed by Duncan Lewis (1999). PDI Professor in EINA – Univeristy Center of Design and Art in Barcelona, Universitat Autónoma de Bellaterra, Barcelona (2008 – currently).
Eugeni Bach, Barcelona, Spain 1974. Architect by the ETSAB, UPC, 1999. Visitant professor at 'Taller Vertical' in ESARQ UIC, Barcelona, directed by Duncan Lewis (1999). Proffesor in the Mies van der Rohe Chair, ETSAB UPC, under the direction of David Chipperfield (2001). Projects Proffesor in La Salle School of Architecture, Universitat Ramon Llull, Barcelona (2005 - currently).
EUGENI BACH
Eugeni Bach, Barcelona, Spain 1974. Architect by the Higher Technical School of Architecture of Barcelona, UPC (1999), Professor of Projects at the ETSAB UPC and the Master EPAI of the ETS Arquitectura La Salle, URL. His work has been awarded, among others, with the International FAD Award, the FAD Award for Ephemeral Work and the FAD of Opinion on four occasions, as well as a Finalist and Selected in the Spanish Biennial and the Ibero-American Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism, Nominated for the Award of European Architecture Mies van der Rohe and exhibited in venues such as the Cité de l'Architecture in Paris or the Spanish Pavilion at the VII and XV Venice Biennale.
Anna Bach
Anna Bach, Nummi, Finland, 1973. Architect from the Helsinki University of Technology (2001) and Master in Project Theory and Practice from ETSAB, UPC. She is a PDI professor at EINA, Barcelona University Center for Design and Art, UAB. His work has been awarded, among others, with the International FAD Award, the FAD Ephemeral Work Award and the FAD Opinion Award on four occasions, as well as Finalist and Selected in the Spanish Biennial and the Ibero-American Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism, Nominated for the European Architecture Mies van der Rohe and exhibited in venues such as the Cité de l'Architecture in Paris or the Spanish Pavilion at the XV Venice Biennale.
