Shelter in flux
Location. Barcelona, Spain
Square Footage. 98,000 sq. ft.
Program. Hostel with Retail, Bar, Viewing Platforms + Public Park
Award. 3rd Year Best of Show Nomination
Connecting travelers with the culture and youth of Barcelona, the bar is the heart of the urban hostel. Here, it assumes the role of the cardiac muscle, a pulsating muscle transferring energy through the circulatory and structural system into the far extremities of the hostel. From this core public space, the escalator, a direct social vein, extends down to the street, lifting travelers and locals alike directly into an elevated second Placa. Elevated above the height of surrounding buildings, visitors have a view of the entire city.
The building fluctuates in two cycles: daily and seasonally. We focused our design on this regular variation, separating self-sufficient program into small groups to maintain density.
Team. Kate Hajash and Cadence Bayley
formal development
Programmatic breakdown
The primary hostel functions (private rooms, terrace, and lounges) are broken into three formally distinct pods, becoming their own social centers. The hostel draws inspiration from both city scale components and body organs, relating to the functionality of each.
