Vila Olimpica

A mixed-use development built in conjunction with the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympic Games, the design concept for Vila Olimpica relies on the genius loci of Catalonia, treating the building complex as a landscape transect from the coastal beaches to the mountainous interior.   The low shops and restaurants along the sea represent the coastal plain, and the hotel tower represents the mountains. The use of metaphor helped establish a rationale for site design that also allowed flexibility to address site constraints, such as severe windborne pollution off the sea in the winter and the technical complexities of building gardens on roof decks. The horticulturally rich gardens are expressed primarily as a series of orchards with citrus, pomegranate and olive. A painting by Joan Miró, a native of Barcelona, was an artistic inspiration. Public sidewalks are surfaced with precast concrete unit pavers manufactured by a factory that has produced them for Barcelona for over 100 years. Through details such as these, an ensemble is created that refers to the regional landscape and cultural traditions.

Location
Barcelona, Spain

Owner
The Travelstead Group

Status
Completed 1991

Key Team Members
Laurie Olin, Partner-in-Charge
Dennis McGlade, Associate