Magazine: Office building in Alcalá de Henares
A manufacturer of electronic security systems wanted a “unique and bioclimatic” building for its new company headquarters in Alcalá de Henares northeast of Madrid. Alarcon Asociados came up with a design in which expressive form and climatic function work in close conjunction. The fact that the client is also the owner of the building explains their boldness in endorsing such an unconventional design. Towards the top of the building, the russet red in-situ concrete slabs cantilever out to an ever-greater extent. These cantilevers reduce the direct solar gain on the facade by about 90?%, avoiding the need for movable blinds. It was the first time that the architects used a floor system with integrated hollow spaces in which all building services could be installed.
