This partial refurbishment of an old textile factory in the UPF communication Campus bases its design in putting in value the architectural heritage by removing all not essential additional elements and only adding the strictly necessary ones to provide acoustic comfort.

La Nau de Ca l’Aranyó was built in 1873 as a textile factory. The factory experimented several refurbishments until it closed in 1984. In 2009, after a new integral refurbishment, it was re-opened as part of the audio-visual communication Campus for UPF. The new interior design implied a very accurate and respectful restauration of the original structure, but the space compartmentation and materiality erased the possibility to enjoy the original architecture.

In 2023 Miba architects was commissioned to transform two representative spaces in the building, to be considered a prototype for a future complete transformation. The design strategy was based in two main questions:

- Removing any layer that was not essential for the appropriate use of the space, in order to highlight the original architecture.

- Provide to all spaces the best possible environmental comfort, including lighting, climate and acoustics.

The rubber floor cladding was removed and all surfaces and elements, except the roof structure, were painted in white.

The resulting spaces appear transparent and naked, only partially dressed with a cladding of acoustic panels that provide the optimal acoustics to each room.

La Nau

Project duration: 2023
Promotor: Universitat Pompeu Fabra
Type: Educational
Area: 1.200 m2
Budget: 0,1 M €
Site: Barcelona, Spain
Design team: Iris Alonso
Collaborators: I2A (acoustics)
Constructor: Insitu