Natural building in a penthouse in the Eixample.
This project involved the full renovation of a penthouse in the very centre of Barcelona—an area with great potential, but also the typical constraints of an urban setting: an existing structure, interior courtyards, heritage regulations, and energy-efficiency requirements at height.
At Ecohabitats, we designed a comprehensive intervention that aimed to maximise natural light, reorganise the spaces with a functional purpose and apply natural building criteria in every material and technical decision.
Bioclimatic design and cultural sensitivity
The layout was redesigned to improve daylight in every room, encourage cross ventilation, and enable healthy, year-round comfort. Solutions were integrated that combine:
The project also found a balance between the owners’ traditional Catalan aesthetic and British understatedness, creating a shared language of history, functionality, and comfort.
Greater thermal comfort, improved indoor air quality, humidity control, reduced toxic emissions, and better use of the surrounding energy conditions.
Through natural internal insulation, passive control of light and ventilation, and the selection of efficient HVAC systems adapted to the volume of each room.
It is key to redistributing rooms, placing daytime-use areas where there is more natural light, and improving cross ventilation—reducing reliance on artificial systems.
Yes. Natural building does not impose styles; it supports aesthetic decisions through criteria of material coherence, health, and durability.
