The building, located at Via Laietana 8–10 in the Ciutat Vella district of Barcelona, is a property of significant heritage value, constructed between 1921 and 1930, and listed under protection level C. The Barcelona City Council is promoting its full renovation to transform it into the new administrative headquarters of the district. The project will enable the regrouping of up to 700 municipal employees currently spread across five different facilities, while also freeing up spaces for public uses such as social housing or healthcare facilities, as part of a broader strategy to revitalise the city’s historic centre. Accordingly, Barcelona d’Infraestructures Municipals (BIMSA) has commissioned Julià Arquitectes Associats S.L. to carry out the renovation.
In collaboration with Julià Arquitectes Associats, all installations required for the building’s full rehabilitation are designed. A basic and executive project and site management is carried out for the comprehensive renovation of the building. The intervention is executed in three phases and includes structural adjustments, façade rehabilitation, modernisation of electrical systems, modular heat pump-based air conditioning, ventilation and extraction systems, telecommunications network, access control linked to new elevators, and fire protection systems. Energy and solar simulations are also conducted to comply with the environmental ordinance of Barcelona.
Among the most notable technical features are energy-saving and efficiency systems such as provisions for photovoltaic panels, heat recovery systems, and LED lighting. This intervention reinforces the city’s commitment to sustainability, heritage preservation, and the efficiency of public services.
Also noteworthy is the humidity and temperature control system designed to preserve the historical archive located in the building’s basement and semi-basement. Additionally, a stairwell pressurisation system is installed to allow safe evacuation in case of fire, ensuring optimal safety conditions. The system is implemented in both stairwells involved in the project, through the installation of independent duct networks and fans. The entire system will pressurise the stairwell as a whole and, thanks to the implemented analogue detection system, only the fire-affected floor’s lobby will be pressurised.
In summary, all internal installations of the offices and the building as a whole are designed and calculated to ensure compatibility with heritage requirements. This project represents a considerable challenge: implementing 21st-century infrastructure and technologies within a 20th-century building. The main difficulty lies in preserving architectural heritage while adapting to the limitations of the building’s original structure, which complicates the installation of modern systems necessary to ensure contemporary standards of comfort and safety. As a result, the construction work is particularly complex. For example, installing the fans on the rooftop for the stair pressurisation system involves significant difficulties due to their weight and the old roof structure.
