In the traditional real estate model, the future resident is a passive actor. Someone who buys a finished product, designed under criteria to maximize profitability and standardization. However, housing is much more than a financial asset. It is the stage where life develops. At Laboqueria Arquitectura we believe that we must change the focus to transform the figure of the “owner” into that of the “inhabitant”.

This transformation is only possible through cooperative housing. This model, based on collective property and the right of use, not only seeks to offer a roof, but also to create solid and resilient coexistence structures. The La Balma project, in the Poblenou neighborhood (Barcelona), is the living testimony of this vision.

Recently, the magazine Arquitectura y Diseño has published an interview with Ricard Grau, partner of Laboqueria Arquitectura, who invites us to reflect on a way of understanding architecture that goes much beyond form and aesthetics.

Based on the experience in cooperative housing projects in cession of use, the article focuses on the importance of thinking about buildings from everyday life, the diversity of uses, the cares and the community. A view that understands that every architectural decision is also a structural and social decision, capable of defining who has access to housing, how they live and under what conditions.

At Laboqueria Arquitectura, our cross-cutting methodology teaches us that commitment to the environment must go hand in hand with human well-being. The problem we face is clear: according to the WHO, we spend almost 90% of our time indoors, and the air we breathe (at home and at work) is often up to five times more polluted than the air outside.

On November 24, our partner Alfons Tornero, from Laboqueria Arquitectura, participated in the session “Learning. Teaching Architecture, the transdisciplinary team and professional placement”, organized by the Col·legi d’Arquitectes de Catalunya (COAC). The day was a space for inspiring exchange and debate, where key issues about academic training and professional practice in the field of housing were addressed.

Architecture is undergoing a profound transformation. In a context marked by climate change, rising energy costs, and the need to rethink how we live, bioclimatic design is becoming a key tool for creating the spaces of the future: healthier, more efficient, and more connected to their surroundings.

At Laboqueria Arquitectura, we apply the principles of bioclimatic architecture to all our projects, integrating sustainability, material health, and community well-being as inseparable elements of the architectural process.

At Laboqueria Arquitectura we understand rehabilitation and renovation as an opportunity to transform existing homes, highlighting their heritage, history and urban context, while improving the quality of life and energy efficiency of the interiors.

House 5102, located in the dense fabric of Barcelona, ​​is a clear example of this philosophy. The intervention starts from the conservation of the heritage facade, which maintains the memory of the original building and dialogues with the new interventions, establishing a balance between preservation and innovation.

In a context of climate crisis, rising energy costs, and a loss of social cohesion, sustainable architecture is no longer a trend but a necessity. At Laboqueria Arquitectura, we work to demonstrate that another way of building and living is possible: one that is more respectful of the environment, healthier for people, and more deeply rooted in the land.

Our methodology integrates elements such as environmental sustainability, the health of materials, energy efficiency, and social impact, thus generating housing, renovation, and new construction projects with a cooperative and flexible vision.

At Laboqueria Arquitectura, we are committed to a new way of living — more efficient, healthy, and respectful of the environment. Our work in the energy rehabilitation of single-family homes in Vallès aims to give a second life to existing houses, improving their energy performance and comfort without losing their essence.