His project, called “Barcelona Fashion Foundation”, puts forward an idea for the restoration and extension of the large textile building called Ca l’Illa in Barcelona. He was named ex aequo winner of the “Restoring neighbourhoods. Restoring cities” competition which is held annually by the Association for Sustainability and Architecture (ASA). The proposal for tackling this building, which was built in 1930 in the Poblenou neighbourhood, was developed as part of a Final Degree Project (TFG) by UIC Barcelona School of Architecture graduate, Jordi Costa, along with lecturer Mauro Manca.
The proposal involves the restoration and extension of this industrial group of buildings from the beginning of the 20th century and its return to the fashion sector. “The project provides a response to the environmental, social, economic and urban changes that take place in contemporary cities. The fashion system gave rise to an experience of architecture that was both sensorial and conceptual. For that reason, along with lecturer Mauro Manca, I developed a passive ventilation system using a solar chimney which at the same time provides the outside space with an identity”, Jordi Costa pointed out while describing his project.
In their resolution on the project, the jury for the ASA competition underlined the “excellent mix of usages, reconversion of a heritage site, productive ambition and the inclusion of transformational concepts”.
The Association for Sustainability and Architecture is a non-profit organisation consisting of more than 450 architects and urban planners which aims to promote the development of the principles of sustainability, quality and innovation in architecture and guarantee its implementation at an urban level. The Board of the association consists of prestigious professionals and academics, including the Assistant Director of International Relations at the UIC Barcelona School of Architecture, Carmen Mendoza-Arroyo, who is a spokesperson for the organisation.
