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Torre Agbar history

Torre Agbar history

The building is designed by the famous French architect Jean Nouvel. The design of the tower was inspired by the smooth cliffs of the nearby mountain Montserrat and the shape of an erupting geyser. The tower was also inspired by the architectural legacy of Barcelona’s Antoni Gaudi - more regards to the tower’s colors rather than the actual shape.

The Torre Agbar, or Agbar Tower, is a 21st-century skyscraper at Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It was designed by French architect Jean Nouvel and built by Dragados. It opened in June 2005 and was inaugurated officially by the King of Spain on 16 September 2005. The Torre Agbar is located in the Poblenou neighborhood of Barcelona and is named after its owners, the Agbar Group, a holding company whose interests include the Barcelona water company Aigües de Barcelona.

Design

According to Jean Nouvel, the shape of the Torre Agbar was inspired by Montserrat, a mountain near Barcelona, and by the shape of a geyser rising into the air. Jean Nouvel, in an interview, described it as having a phallic character.[6][7] As a result of its unusual shape, the building is known by several nicknames, such as “el supositori” (the suppository), “l’obús” (the shell) and some more scatological ones.[6] It is also somewhat similar in shape to Sir Norman Foster‘s 30 St. Mary Axe in London, often called “the Gherkin”. It has 30,000 m² (323,000 ft²) of above-ground office space, 3,210 m² (34,500 ft²) of technical service floors with installations and 8,351 m² (90,000 ft²) of services, including an auditorium. The Agbar Tower measures 144.4 m (473.75 ft) in height[8] and consists of 38 storeys, including four underground levels.

Construction

Its design combines a number of different architectural concepts, resulting in a striking structure built with reinforced concrete, covered with a facade of glass, and over 4,500 window openings cut out of the structural concrete. The building stands out in Barcelona; it is the third tallest building in Barcelona, only after the Arts Hotel and the Mapfre Tower, both 154 m (505.25 ft).

Construction

This skyscraper is the headquarter for the municipal water company, Aguas de Barcelona, whose owners – The Agbar Holding Group - have given the tower its name. The construction of this tower started in 1999 and stood finished six years later.

It was officially inaugurated by the King of Spain on September 16th 2005. The building consists of 38 storeys, including four underground levels, and totals 142 meters in height which makes it one of the absolute tallest buildings in Barcelona.

Technology

A defining feature of the building is its nocturnal illumination. It has 4,500 LED luminous devices that allow generation of luminous images in the façade. In addition, it has temperature sensors in the outside of the tower that regulate the opening and closing of the glass blinds of the façade of the building, reducing the consumption of energy for air conditioning. It will house the head office of the Aigües de Barcelona Group (Spanish: “Aguas de Barcelona“, English: “Waters of Barcelona”).



Description

The Torre Agbar, or Agbar Tower, is a 21st-century skyscraper at Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It was designed by French architect Jean Nouvel in association with the Spanish firm b720 Arquitectos and built by Dragados. It opened in June 2005 and was inaugurated officially by the King of Spain on 16 September 2005. The Torre Agbar is located in the Poblenou neighborhood of Barcelona and is named after its owners, the Agbar Group, a holding company whose interests include the Barcelona water company Aigües de Barcelona.

According to Jean Nouvel, the shape of the Torre Agbar was inspired by Montserrat, a mountain near Barcelona, and by the shape of a geyser rising into the air. Jean Nouvel, in an interview, described it as having a phallic character. As a result of its unusual shape, the building is known by several nicknames, such as "el supositori" (the suppository), "l'obús" (the shell) and some more scatological ones. It is also somewhat similar in shape to Sir Norman Foster's 30 St. Mary Axe in London, often called "the Gherkin". It has 30,000 m² (323,000 ft²) of above-ground office space, 3,210 m² (34,500 ft²) of technical service floors with installations and 8,351 m² (90,000 ft²) of services, including an auditorium. The Agbar Tower measures 144.4 m (473.75 ft) in height and consists of 38 storeys, including four underground levels.

Its design combines a number of different architectural concepts, resulting in a striking structure built with reinforced concrete, covered with a facade of glass, and over 4,500 window openings cut out of the structural concrete. The building stands out in Barcelona; it is the third tallest building in Barcelona, only after the Arts Hotel and the Mapfre Tower, both 154 m (505.25 ft).

A defining feature of the building is its nocturnal illumination. It has 4,500 LED luminous devices that allow generation of luminous images in the façade. In addition, it has temperature sensors in the outside of the tower that regulate the opening and closing of the window blinds of the façade of the building, reducing the consumption of energy for air conditioning. It houses the head office of the Aigües de Barcelona Group, the water supply company of Barcelona.

 

“This tower is a fluid mass that bursts through the ground like a geyser under permanent, calculated pressure,” explains architect Jean Nouvel. He is describing the Torre Agbar, a 142 metre high office tower block of concrete and glass that rises above Barcelona’s city centre. The complex on Avinguda Diagonal encompasses 34 upper and four basement floors and immediately attracts attention through its unusual shape and the scintillating patterns of colour offered by its exterior. Nouvel, famed for his skill in blending his architectural creations within the prevailing geographic and cultural context, was inspired for the design of the office tower by the surrounding landscape and the building heritage of the metropolis: “It is architecture of the earth without the heaviness of stone, like a distant echo of old Catalan formal obsessions carried by a mysterious wind off the Montserrat.”

In addition, the Torre Agbar offers a clear reference to the people who own it, namely Barcelona’s municipal water authority. “The surface of the building evokes water: smooth and continuous, shimmering and transparent,” enthuses Nouvel. This effect is created by a two-leaf arrangement: the concrete wall is clad in aluminium sheet painted in 40 different colours. The outer leaf comprises around 60,000 glass panels. As well as providing additional sun protection, these further enhance the colour patterns of the 16,000 m2 façade through the effect of reflex light. In keeping with the concept of “bioclimatic architecture”, 4,500 window apertures are incorporated within the inner façade leaf, providing both natural light and natural air circulation. Their irregular configuration constituted a major challenge for the structural engineers. A special computer program created by the University of Barcelona was therefore used to test the various window arrangements and to analyse the static design of the individual storeys within the context of the building as a whole, so ensuring the inherent safety of the construction.

Torre Agbar history

The building is designed by the famous French architect Jean Nouvel. The design of the tower was inspired by the smooth cliffs of the nearby mountain Montserrat and the shape of an erupting geyser. The tower was also inspired by the architectural legacy of Barcelona’s Antoni Gaudi - more regards to the tower’s colors rather than the actual shape.

Construction

This skyscraper is the headquarter for the municipal water company, Aguas de Barcelona, whose owners – The Agbar Holding Group - have given the tower its name. The construction of this tower started in 1999 and stood finished six years later.

It was officially inaugurated by the King of Spain on September 16th 2005. The building consists of 38 storeys, including four underground levels, and totals 142 meters in height which makes it one of the absolute tallest buildings in Barcelona.


Date: 2015-12-18; view: 1534


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