168 Housing Units in Zabalgana
Vitoria-Gasteiz. 2006/2009

Community life is encouraged by creating meeting areas on each floor, related to the exterior. A complete horizontal connection is established among all of the housing units by means of four linked communication nuclei. This layout allows better use of space for lifts and stairs, widening areas of coexistence.
Three bodies that make up the initial planned organization are devised. The two bodies with ground floor plus seven floors are laid out by means of a corridor-home typology and the central body with its ground floor plus six floors is designed with cross-through housing and a south gallery. On the top floor of the central body, given its strategic position, there is a south-facing garden terrace and entrance from both sides.
The following environmental criteria were used:
- Maximum energy efficiency. Complete south-facing gallery and glass galleries on other sides with a great capturing capacity. Outer cladding by means of continuous insulation without thermal bridges.
- Ecological community garden with a sun area, improving urban thermodynamics.
- Gardened area on ground floor in small hills with grass and trees adapted to the basement floor.