The centre of Barcelona no longer is what was used to be, Ciutat Vella and the Suburb in few years have transformed from old neighbourhoods and degraded with ancient buildings out of condition or even dilapidated, transforming in one of the zones more crowded of the city for the Tourism.

Yet, still they remain buildings that need an overall rehabilitation… or will end disappearing. And not only is a block of flats that disappears, but also an architectural heritage of Barcelona that goes losing.

Rehabilitation of a building

That’s why we love to take active part in projects like the one we present today: the integral rehabilitation of a building in the Petritxol street (Barcelona), a place that needed an urgent intervention to save it.

It began for the inner rehabilitation of the flats of that building and, later, initiated the reform of the building façade respecting and preserving the original aspect dated 1883. Everything in less than two months, finishing the work at the end of 2016.

It was not really a simple work due to the bad state in which the building was found. The rehabilitation had to strengthen a quite deteriorated façade full of big cracks caused by time settlements and with big leaks of water.

Engineering project and permissions management

As seen in the photos, the execution of works was not a simple matter, since it treated of a building with 5 plants and with thought accesses.

As usual, before beginning the task our team of engineering commissioned to do the project of rehabilitation to ask for the permissions of performance to the Department of Heritage of the City council of Barcelona, issue that also assumes our team at Instal.lem Valor.

Customer satisfaction

Once finished the work we can say that we’re satisfied with the result. There’s no signal of and old ruined building. We have achieved to transform a building into a one in perfect conditions to live with every convenience and with the security that, at least, will last some extra 100 years. And, as ever, we have received the congratulations of our customer, very satisfied with the final result.

And you, have any building to rehabilitate? Contact us!

NEW LIGHTING AT THE GERMAN SCHOOL

Today we deal with a project of which we are proud. Especially due to the difficulties we faced. Our client is the German School of Esplugues of Llobregat, in Barcelona, and what we found when we arrived is a deficient and poor lighting for the needs of the centre.

The challenge

The performance was specifically to the music auditorium of the school. It treated to achieve different ambients with the same lighting, regulating its intensity with a remote control

How we faced the project:

We worked together with the led manufacturer and the light automation manufacturer. And then we designed the distribution of light to obtain a uniformity to the auditorium.

As anecdote we did an Important effort of coordination to achieve a 11m (36 feet) lighting of upper length.

In 2016 we completed the installation of lighting that initiated the previous summer; in that occasion installed 340 spotlighta (to all common services zones).

Results

This project came after the success of the change of air conditioning of teachers’ romm for a system URV of theDAIKIN brand.

The customer has obtained an illumination for zones and with variable intensities, which thing allow him use the classroom for fine diverse as a classroom of education, how auditorium of musician for auditions and concerts.

Today we deal with a topic that is often controversial: Can you live in a space of 15m²?

The answer, as usual, is not clear: it depends on how space has been enabled. Today we deal with an apartment that Garcia Comas Services has enabled at the Born, in Barcelona. Technically it is known as “studio type housing” a sort of penthouse.

Squats included!

As an anecdotal notice that when we were commissioned, the space was occupied, and that the management of this was part of our task. Naturally, we get the occupants out by the peaceful and legal way.

Living with 15m²: Housing type studio in the Borne of Barcelona.

The space was in an uninhabitable state, so we considered making structural reforms. A feature of the Garcia Comas brand is that we install the maximum value in every space we work, thinking as if it had to last a hundred years. Thus, a space of 15m² has been designed and rehabilitated to adapt it as a dwelling.

Elements we can find

As you can see in the images below, the studio has the necessary elements to live:

• Rest zone.
• Kitchen – dining room.
• Bathroom.
• Washing machine and ironing area.

Before & After

If you want to see the scope of the reform, download this PDF penthouse-barcelona.compressed including images that show the space was and how it is now after the García Comas Services performance.

Today we are dealing with a very frequent case that we encounter when we try to legalize an engineering and architectural project: Structural reinforcement project in a precarious building of houses in Ciutat Vella (Barcelona)

As can be seen in these photographs, the building was in poor condition, with danger to the structure. It was necessary to prop up, create a reinforcement of the structure before proceeding with any engineering work:

If you need help in a performance of this kind, do not hesitate to contact us.

Garcia Comas, Grupo Bellota 1866 and Rotary Club, in support of the Esplugues de Llobregat community, have donated the maintenance contract of the Fundació Finestrelles (www.fundaciofinestrelles.com) valued at 2400€.

On paper, the idea of building a huge cement house in the middle of an ancient oak forest predicts a disaster.

But Walter Workshop did an excellent job projecting Oak Park House for a client in Beverly Hills, California.

The house sits on the edge of a canyon, hence these impressive views.

Oak Pass house has been designed inversely from the usual layout with public spaces on top of the bedrooms, embedded into the hillside beneath a green roof of edible herbs. The house occupies 740 m2, but the visual effect of it being carefully integrated in the oak wood landscape makes it seem smaller. The infinity pool divides the house and flows under one of the largest oaks on the property.

Content based on the work of the architect Walter Workshop

Garcia Comas Services, of the Grupo Bellota 1866 – has collaborated for years with the La Casa de La Alegria Association (www.lacasadelalegria.es).

Since 2013, EQUINE THERAPY sessions have been available to children and teens from ages 5 to 17 at the Centre Pilot School of Sant Just Desvern.

The sessions take place at the Hípica Poni Club riding school in Sant Just Desvern and are divided into 3 groups to accommodate to the diversity of students participating.

Thanks to Bellota 1866 and García Comas Services, La Casa de l’Alegria, not only becomes active again but grows, proof of the importance that being in contact with nature and the world of horses has for these kids and teens. Among other things, it helps them overcome fears and encourages autonomy.

By 2015, with the additional support of the Rotary Club Esplugues, a total of 50 children are already benefitting from this activity.

In the 2015-16 academic year, the school will include the activity regularly as a result of the benefits it has on the students.