Edifici Banca Catalana, Protected cultural heritage building in Les Corts, Barcelona, Spain.
The Edifici Banca Catalana is an office complex in Les Corts featuring three octagonal towers with vertical gardens covering the entire exterior. An irrigation system sustains these planted surfaces, creating a living facade that sets it apart from typical office buildings.
Architects Josep Maria Fargas and Enric Tous designed this structure from 1965 to 1968 as the headquarters for the Banca Catalana financial institution. This was a period when Barcelona was exploring new architectural directions and adopting international design concepts.
The structure blends Japanese and North American design influences, creating a contrast with established Spanish styles of the 1960s. Visitors can see how these international ideas shaped the building's appearance and marked a shift in how architects approached design in Barcelona.
Located on Avinguda Diagonal, the building features adaptable office spaces with modular facades that can shift between opacity and transparency. The site is easily accessible and its flexible design allows interior spaces to serve different purposes.
The facade combines reflective glass with paraboloid-shaped plastic components, creating a visual effect similar to automotive fairings. This material choice was unusual for office buildings of that era and shows the experimental thinking of the architects.
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