BCA Designs Two Office Buildings That Revive Barcelona's Industrial Past with WICONA Solutions

Low-Carbon WICONA Systems for a Sophisticated Facade

In the construction of both buildings, traditional materials—brick and small-format ceramic pieces—have been combined with contemporary construction techniques. The first, the MILE office campus, is described as an "urban oasis" consisting of three perforated and sculpted volumes that create plazas, passageways, and terraces. These spaces allow users to find corners for working, socializing, and enjoying nature, improving their well-being and creating the sensation of moving through a small city where the boundaries between public and private areas blur. On the other hand, the U5A building has been designed to engage in a clear dialogue with the neighboring block where MILE is located. Its main facade acts as a backdrop for the other complex. U5A consists of a single volume with 10 stories and features a vertical communication core and services on the northeast side.

Both office buildings feature exposed brick facades where the WICONA WICTEC 50 system has been installed, a sophisticated solution of mullions and transoms that brings modernity and elegance, with a minimal visible profile of just 50 mm and profile depths ranging from 50 to 260 mm. Thanks to the wide range of variants offered, WICTEC 50 allows for the creation of custom-designed facades with special aesthetics for each project. In the U5A building, the WICONA solution includes solar protection louvers that become denser as the building rises. On the lower floors, there are fewer louvers, as the surrounding buildings and trees naturally provide shade. Meanwhile, the MILE building is equipped with WICONA’s WICLINE 75 evo concealed sash windows, featuring a multi-chamber perimeter frame of 75 mm and a concealed tilt-and-turn sash of 85 mm in width, also multi-chambered and with a thermal break.

The MILE and U5A complexes are committed to sustainability. This is demonstrated by the LEED Platinum certification, the highest certification in the field, which the MILE building has already received. The WICONA solutions used align with this commitment. The WICTEC 50 facade is certified with the Cradle to Cradle® Silver level, and both systems ensure high performance, helping to reduce energy consumption. Additionally, they are made from Hydro CIRCAL® 75R certified post-consumer recycled aluminum, with a carbon footprint of just 1.9 kg of CO2 per kg of aluminum—the average carbon footprint of aluminum consumed in Europe is 8.6 kg of CO2 per kg of aluminum.