Estudi is a social housing project that revitalizes and supports Raval’s art culture. The existing concrete building, a training school for teachers, resides in the southern border of Raval, Barcelona between the narrow streets of Raval and institutional buildings of El Poble Sec. Estudi's design begins with a retention of the existing structure and simple, passive design strategies. These design decisions minimize the environmental impact of the building while providing economic savings. These design strategies work with the design of flexible units that allow the residents to choose their living, studio and sleeping spaces based on privacy or communal preferences. The large flexible units while ideal for artist studios also provide possibilities for housing for small families, immigrants, seniors, youth and students. The communal core of the building encourages interaction between residents and neighbours; thus, Estudi connects with the surrounding Raval neighbourhood to become an active cultural participant.
