With approximately 6.7 million people living in its metropolitan area, the Spanish capital of Madrid is the second most populated city in the European Union. To accommodate the rapidly growing population and create quality, sustainable housing for residents, a major regeneration project is now underway to transform the city’s northern suburbs.
We were appointed to provide full architectural and engineering design services as well as site supervision for the development of four new housing complexes – including 494 apartments – in the Barajas district for the real estate developer Vía Célere.
What is the Barajas build-to-rent development project?
As one of the city’s 21 districts, Barajas is most well-known for the Madrid-Barajas airport, which is the main international airport serving the capital. This development project will help to revitalise the area, improving the quality of life for residents – both existing and new.
As project designers and lead architects, we have provided full design and coordination for all disciplines from preliminary stages to site supervision. Working in close collaboration with the developer from the early stages, we provided assessment on the preliminary strategies. This allowed us to extend the initial proposal by increasing the expected number of homes by almost seven to eight per cent. Our team continued to work closely with the main contractor throughout the development stages to ensure the design met the original budget.
The development contains four plots in total, with 494 apartments across four buildings, each four storeys high with two underground parking levels. Each plot also includes a swimming pool, garden, playground, common areas such as multipurpose rooms and a gym, together with retail spaces and other amenities for the community.
With four different projects to manage, this has been a challenging undertaking, requiring strong coordination across all teams to ensure that the works are delivered on schedule.
Revitalising the neighbourhood
Social value is an important aspect of this project. By adding more green and social spaces to the neighbourhood, the Barajas redevelopment will help to enhance the comfort and wellbeing of residents – creating a healthier and more liveable environment for all.