Catalunya Media City Three Chimneys / Tres Xemeneies      

Located between Barcelona and Badalona in Sant Adrià de Besòs, the Tres Xemeneies project transforms a decommissioned 1970s power plant into the new heart of Catalunya Media City. 

The winning proposal by Marvel and Garcés de Seta Bonet Arquitecte (GdSB) preserves the site’s iconic chimneys while reactivating the adjacent turbine hall with digital and creative programs. The intervention targets an A energy rating and BREEAM certification, envisioning a nearly Zero Energy Building powered by 4,500 m² of photovoltaic panels integrated into an extensive green roof system. 

Sustainability strategies are embedded throughout. The turbine hall operates as a bioclimatic space, capturing solar heat in winter and cooling naturally through cross-ventilation and louvers in summer. A “box in a box” approach conditions only essential volumes, reducing energy demand. Vegetated courtyards and green roofs regulate temperature, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the urban heat island effect. 

Material choices emphasize preservation, while new timber structures extend the building’s lifecycle. Water efficiency measures—efficient fixtures, rainwater harvesting, and groundwater use—further minimize impact, creating a resilient, regenerative model for adaptive reuse.