Architects Herzog & de Meuron have designed a new headquarters for Spanish banking group BBVA.
The building, due for completion in 2013, will be located on the outskirts of Madrid.
Here is an architectural statement from the architects:
–
New Headquarters for BBVA
Madrid, Spain
2007 –, planned completion 2013
Herzog & de Meuron
Architectural Statement
The site BBVA has procured for its new headquarters is located on the periphery of Madrid. It is surrounded by streets of newly erected offices, commercial buildings, and residential developments. It is a “site without qualities”, a desert-like place. We propose the creation of an artificial garden, an oasis, evolving from inside out—a place that establishes a balance between the natural environment and the buildings, and functions like a small city.
A linear structure composed of three-story buildings, alleyways and irrigated gardens is laid over the entire site like a carpet that follows the topography. Analogous to an Arabian garden, a cool, moist, fresh microclimate is created. Each workspace has a “green view”. The layout, with its horizontal branches, is more appropriate to today’s working world than open-plan offices, in which an employee feels like a number.
The complex encourages communication: people walk instead of taking elevators; they meet and talk to one another. A large degree of transparency generates a sense of community, while the relatively small units permit employees to identify with their particular group. Four existing buildings are integrated in the overall low-rise complex. Linear courtyards cut into the building mass link their structure with the new buildings.
In order to make the BBVA stand out in the skyline of the capital, the carpet is cut out in an approximate circle and tilted upwards: the result is a plaza and a slender, disk-shaped tower.
Plaza and Tower anchor the complex and provide orientation. The main entrance and various communal facilities form an interconnected ring around the plaza. The Tower, containing offices with views across the city and the Sierra of Madrid, contributes to the diversity of the workspaces.
The Plaza is planted with trees that provide generous shade, a large water basin humidifies the air and serves as a reservoir. Between the buildings, the gardens and alleyways echo the linear principle. Different trees and vegetation of varying densities distinguish the areas, so that they each retain their individual character within the overall context of the Carpet.
The Natural Resources
The design is adapted to the climatic conditions and makes efficient use of energy resources by providing ample natural daylight, while the gardens and alleyways are fully shaded in the summer months. Overhanging floorplates and a brise-soleil structure keep direct sunlight away from the workspaces. This minimizes the need for artificial lighting and air conditioning, which account for the greatest energy consumption in office buildings.
Ventilation is only needed to ensure the circulation of fresh air in the office spaces—windows can be opened to provide cross ventilation. Retractable elements in the roof help to control the temperature of the gardens.
The water that regulates the temperature of the floor slabs is geothermally cooled or warmed. Photovoltaic cells on the roofs as well as rain and grey water processing complete the overall sustainability concept.
December 17th, 2008 at 11:14 am
Looks intresting, applicable to desert architecture?
December 17th, 2008 at 11:22 am
OMG! Looks very similar to:
http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/news_images/10205_1_St%20Marys%20Axe1big.jpg
No definitely no…
December 17th, 2008 at 11:27 am
a bank builds such a huge new headquarter these days? i don’t think so …
December 17th, 2008 at 11:31 am
Wow, now this is a beauty…
December 17th, 2008 at 11:50 am
It is OK in Spain.But i am thinking the other question:maybe it is not a fantastic job.
December 17th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Even H&M fell for the “Dubai-like” iconographic rendering … too bad … I always had much respect for them though …
December 17th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
the architectural statement sounds like it has come from OMA.. convergence?
December 17th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
oh no, please, tell me it’s a nightmare, not THEM publishing THIS
December 17th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
having an office building on horizontal not only vertical seems interesting to me… only that I don’t know if they thought about it in this manner.
December 17th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
I would be interested to know how the experience of walking down those thin alleyways contributes to the whole. I’m concerned when an architect ‘neighborhood builds’ with such a repetitive/overly-consistent system.
December 17th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
hard to tell whether this is any good since so much of the strength of their designs comes from the materiality and details which you can’t really see from these pics. the relationship between the cut-out standing structure and its void looks interesting but other than that I’m not really impressed at all
December 17th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
sorry.. but this is a direct rip off of oma’s Parc de la Villette entry !
December 17th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
…after the sun proposed by Mansilla and Tuñon….now comes….the moon??!?!
…dislike…
December 17th, 2008 at 5:21 pm
OMA + OMA
December 17th, 2008 at 5:31 pm
Eloquent proof, that despite a global economic depression,Spain and especially Madrid, remain at the vanguard of European architecture.
December 17th, 2008 at 5:37 pm
Madrid has transformed itself into the modern city of Europe and with great
success.Excellent infrastructure and clean,well-designed spaces.Bravo Madrid!
December 17th, 2008 at 5:54 pm
i need to see something other than the god’s-eye perspective…
December 17th, 2008 at 6:37 pm
see mansilla+tuñon in Spain
December 17th, 2008 at 6:39 pm
oh thanks remmie, H&dM don’t have any architectural culture and might never have notice
either you’re wrong either it’s on purpose
December 17th, 2008 at 9:54 pm
The Badminton monument,
December 17th, 2008 at 10:09 pm
I think commenter KC hit the nail on the head…
December 17th, 2008 at 11:52 pm
Turron and Mansilla never more play to architecture, now drinking you medicine
December 18th, 2008 at 1:58 am
this project makes me feel sad
December 18th, 2008 at 2:51 am
Looks like a canned ham sitting in a dish drainer, I think Herzog & de Meuron along with Rem Koolhass, and Jean Nouvel, are way over rated and for their supposed talent, design some ugly hideous crap
December 18th, 2008 at 6:09 am
INSERT A COIN PLEASE
December 18th, 2008 at 9:15 am
it looks very similar to our project….
Mansilla-Tuñon
December 18th, 2008 at 10:19 am
Each one tunon?
Please post the link.
Gracias.
December 18th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
How sad to attempt to build a “vibrant city” on the edge of a highway with no connection to the vibrancy that is the center of Madrid itself. For all its alleged environmental friendliness, this is just another contributor to Madrid sprawl. Like any other non-descript office park in the suburban United States. When employees have to drive to work or commute over an hour via subway or busses, all hope for spontaneous social interaction with colleagues after working hours is lost.
December 18th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
Almost similar at the one being built at abudhabi!!
December 18th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
I don’t understand this building. All the famous architects can build whatever they want, even the most boring projects.
December 19th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Actually I think this s a bad joke.
December 19th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
They didn’t resist the idea of building an “icon”. I truly miss when they had a fresher approach to the architecture. Seems they’re screaming their presence!!
December 21st, 2008 at 12:06 am
In 20 years this will be downtown Madrid.Remember that until 1900,there
were only farms above 59th street in Manhattan! This is an excellent example of urban planning and superb architecture.Slowly,Madrid is connecting the dots,wait and see.
December 21st, 2008 at 12:07 am
It looks to me like some of the designs of Kazuyo Sejima & Ryue Nishizawa from the mid 90’s, anybody else sees the similarities?
It looks nice thought… but I have to say that the placement on the context is totally arbitrary (not good- specially in a city like Madrid with so much history)
So much is about the “show-biz” nowadays….
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:42 am
the coin shaped building is kiling the horizontal architecture !
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:30 am
I think more information is needed about this project to see whether it will be successful or not.. the birds’ eye context renders and massing plans only show so much.
December 24th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
It beautiful and similar to AL DAr headquarter in Abu Dhabi – UAE
January 9th, 2009 at 3:01 am
Does the swiss couple know what will be erected not faraway, in between the towers that they show in one of their 3d views?
January 27th, 2009 at 8:47 pm
It definetely looks similar to Mansilla’s & Tuñon’s project…