Torre Agbar

The tower is a ‘small skyscraper’ and has a distinct shape which evokes an incredible fountain with a constant, stable water pressure. The building does not sit at ground level but rather emerges from a water-filled crater. The building features a glass dome at the top, multi-colored walls and 4,500 different-sized windows, to the LED illuminated “breathing” glass shell. The bullet-shaped tower makes a stunning visual impression while delivering top-class environmental performance.

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The Agbar tower is a 35-story, 142 m high “small skyscraper”, located on Plaza de las Glorias in Barcelona. Designed for the acute angle formed by Diagonal Avenue and Badajoz Street, the building’s distinct shape evokes an incredible fountain with a constant, stable water pressure. Coupled with the fact that the building does not sit at ground level but rather emerges from a water-filled crater, this is a very appropriate image for the headquarters of a water company.

Four underground floors occupy the whole plot and provide support functions as well as the parking lot. Structurally, the building is supported by a load-bearing interior core and exterior perimeter. These two concrete cylinders support metal beams which, in turn, support a composite deck of metal and concrete, allowing floors to be free of structural columns. The eccentric shape of the interior core dictates the standard floor plan – office spaces set into the exterior wall, wrapping around the interior lift shafts. The exterior cylinder shoots straight upwards until the 18th floor when it begins curving inwards and comes to a point on the 26th floor. There, a glass dome tops the 142m building. The last 6 floors, cantilevered from the central core, are used for upper management purposes.

The corrugated aluminium plates of the exterior perimeter are lacquered in 25 different colours, from earthy reds to cobalt blue, and appear to form a wall of massive “pixels” that create a calligraphy of irregularly arranged rectilinear window openings. The quantity of window openings on any particular section of the facade is in part determined by the amount of sunlight it receives. The angled disposition and opacity of each individual glass slat that makes up the building’s “second skin” is also determined through a study of the sun, through the rays’ incidence.

The solar-powered, mechanically controlled glass outer shell was designed to help manage heat buildup and other environmental factors. The inner wall is wrapped in ROCKWOOL insulation.

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Designed by Jean Nouvel, the 38-storey Torre Agbar in Barcelona is one of the great icons of postmodernist architecture. From its multi-coloured walls and 4,500 different-sized windows, to the LEDilluminated “breathing” glass shell, the bulletshaped tower makes a stunning visual impression while delivering top-class environmental performance.

Protecting the building

The Torre Agbar's solar-powered, mechanically controlled glass outer shell was designed to help manage heat buildup and other environmental factors. But Fermín Vázquez and the other architects on his team also needed to adequately protect the building's reinforced concrete inner walls - and the many people that make the Torre Agbar their workplace. That's why the architects chose to wrap the inner wall was wrapped in ROCKWOOL insulation before a corrugated aluminium cladding was applied.

A single solution to multiple challenges

Mr Vázquez says a big part of the job was to "choose materials that solve problems instead of creating them." Made from natural, recyclable stone wool and delivering unmatched protection against extreme temperatures, fire, moisture and even noise, ROCKWOOL insulation is just the kind of protective membrane needed for the complex ventilated facade chosen for Torre Agbar.

"Stone wool was used to wrap around the concrete perimeter as an insulating element," explains Mr Vázquez. "The material was chosen," he continues, "due to its excellent performance outdoors and resistance to ageing, along with its mechanical and thermal advantages."

It's a matter of trust

As the Torre Agbar's glass outer shell "breathes" in response to changing conditions, Mr Vázquez and the other architects who created the building can trust that ROCKWOOL insulation is working in harmony with the ventilated system to ensure comfort, safety and energy efficiency for many, many decades to come.

"Choose materials that solve problems instead of creating them." Fermín Vázquez, architect

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