La Comunal

La Comunal is a cooperative cultural space born from the alliance between various social and solidarity economy projects, aiming to pool capacities, strengthen inter-cooperative ties, and multiply the community impact of transformative socio-economic practices. Its goal is to create a cultural and cooperative reference space in the city, with the purpose of expanding the impact and reach of the involved projects. Located in the Sants neighborhood of Barcelona, La Comunal is made up of seven worker cooperatives and one association: Aula d’Idiomes, Directa, Jamgo, Irídia, Lacol, La Ciutat Invisible, La Deskomunal, and Quesoni. The building housing La Comunal occupies half a city block between d’En Blanco, Tenor Masini, and Riera d’Escuder streets in Sants, and is classified as a category C building. Built in 1926, just before the 1929 Universal Exposition, it was initially used to store naval sails and later dedicated to manufacturing. Over time, the building’s function has changed, and it currently hosts cultural services and activities. It is a building that has been adapted to the needs of the space, maintaining its historical relevance and offering new possibilities for the social and cultural activities it houses. The rehabilitation of La Comunal’s warehouses has been a fundamental part of the project, aiming to preserve their original geometry, which had been altered by previous renovations. The first phase of the intervention consisted of undoing the enclosed ground floor to recover the original shape of the warehouses and facilitate a new connection with the neighborhood. The façades were restored following the first stucco work from 1926, with the aim of recovering the building’s Modernist style, respecting its original image and relationship with the surroundings.

The intervention in the building has followed various strategies to adapt it to new needs while preserving its historic character. One of the main strategies has been the recovery and rehabilitation of the space, with minimal structural consolidation and the creation of adaptable spaces with modular installations. This intervention also prioritized sustainability and reducing environmental impact. Existing materials were reused, and rainwater was harvested for watering plants and other uses, following a philosophy of maximum efficiency and environmental respect. The courtyard and internal circulation paths were designed to promote passivity, aiming to minimize energy consumption and reduce the need for air conditioning. The project also integrated innovative energy strategies to improve the building’s energy efficiency. One of the systems used is the creation of greenhouses to pre-treat ventilation air, using solar energy to heat it in winter and dissipate excess heat in summer. This solution improves the building’s energy performance while contributing to creating a comfortable and energy-efficient space. In a second phase, the courtyard is planned to be naturalized with plants and connected to a rainwater collection system from the roofs to reinforce the long-term sustainability goal.