Torre Agbar

“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.