LCI Barcelona 22@ campus | Circular Studio

GENERAL OVERVIEW

The building is the European hub of the international LCI Education network of design and visual arts universities. Located in the former industrial district of Poblenou in Barcelona—now the 22@ tech district—it sits in an area undergoing significant urban transformation. The educational facility spans nearly 12,000 m² and is part of this Canadian-origin university network.

THREE MAIN DESIGN FEATURES 

A.     URBAN PLACEMENT

• FLUIDITY, CONNECTION AND TRANSPARENCY 

The building occupies a unique plot originally planned to close the block bordered by Àlaba and Sancho de Àvila streets. However, following a modification of the urban plan that redistributed building volume elsewhere in the district, the final design resulted in a prismatic shape, measuring 50x20 metres and rising seven storeys. The long facades face northeast and southwest. Below ground, the plan allowed almost full coverage of the two original plots (about 2,500 sqm), leaving a strip of land with protected plane trees.

The ground floor is a permeable space, set back from the building's perimeter to expand the public area. It features a glass facade that enhances transparency and visual continuity. The two entrances cross the building through a bridge-like element, linking the street to an interior public space that acts as seating and access ramps. This design blurs the boundaries between the building and the urban environment, creating a space for students and local residents to interact. 

B.     PROGRAMME AND SOCIAL PATHWAYS

• “VERTICAL CAMPUS", SOCIAL CIRCULATION AND INTERDISCIPLINARITY 

Designed as a "vertical campus," the building accommodates up to 3,000 students from various creative disciplines. Its layout promotes interdisciplinarity by integrating social pathways that connect all areas.

Above ground, the building houses classrooms, practical studios, administration offices, a library, and student spaces. Circulation is organised peripherally, along the facades. These pathways also act as solar filters, social spaces, work areas, and exhibition zones. The rhythm of the facade, alternating between solid and void, blurs the line between interior and exterior, turning the passageways into an immersive experience.

Below ground, the building transforms into a large, open space for students. Two large, flexible halls host various activities, alongside workspaces, laboratories, and fabrication workshops, all naturally lit by light passing through double-height spaces and skylights that perforate the plaza above. The fabrication workshops are grouped on this floor to encourage collaboration between different creative disciplines.

The social pathway begins on this level, linking the ground floor and the first two storeys via a metal staircase that cuts through the quadruple-height entrance hall. Between the third and fifth storeys, circulation wraps around the recessed facade on the exterior, connecting to the "elevated plaza" at the heart of the building. This plaza, sheltered from direct sunlight by an overhang, offers sea views and benefits from the breeze.

C.     FAÇADE AND MATERIALITY

• NATURAL LIGHT CONTROL AND MIMICKING THE ENVIRONMENT

The building’s design responds to its environment. Its geometry functions as a solar control device.

The sawtooth facade, combined into five modules of diferent sizes, adapts to different orientations using the same strategy: blocking direct sunlight to prevent glare while maximising indirect light. The exterior features 3mm aluminium panels with a transparent powder-coated finish, maintaining the texture and reflective properties of the metal. The interior is finished with white laminated panels. The aluminium helps the building blend with its surroundings, reflecting the changing light throughout the day. 

SUSTAINABILITY AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY

The project incorporates several energy-saving strategies, achieving a 60% reduction in energy consumption. This is due to the building’s high thermal insulation and connection to the district’s urban heating and cooling network—Districlima—resulting in an A-energy certification, the highest possible rating.

Recycled and recyclable materials have been used throughout, including aluminium for the facade, steel for the structure, composite wood panels, and PET-based felt in the false ceilings.

Greywater is recycled throughout the building, and the green roof provides thermal insulation and supports biodiversity. Photovoltaic panels contribute significantly to the building's energy self-sufficiency.

These efforts have earned the building an "Excellent" rating under the BREEAM® sustainability certification (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology).

Photography Credits: Salva López / Julio Mesa / Pedro Noguera