Pull&Bear's new headquarters in Narón (A Coruña) was created under the Batlle i Roig Arquitectura firm, a studio from Catalonia, directed by Enric Batlle and Joan Roig, with more than 35 years of experience in building and landscaping projects.
Taking inspiration from the Massimo Dutti headquarters in Tordera (Barcelona), another of the works carried out for the Inditex group, Batlle i Roig developed for Pull & Bear a two-storey building with a rectangular floor plan and 23,000 m² of constructed area. In it, the view from the exterior of the enclosure is defined by a skin of extruded aluminium panels, which curves slightly in its cornes embracing the three sunniest façades. On this skin, the openings are protected by moving fins. Their technological character relates to the industrial textures of the adjacent buildings.
In the new Pull&Bear headquarters, natural light floods the interior spaces thanks to the more than 4,000 m² of glass façade that contitutes the enclosure. Batlle i Roig opted for the CORTIZO SG 52 system, a stick curtain wall made up of aluminium mullions and transoms with a 52 mm internal viewed section and a “glass only” exterior aesthetic that grants the envelope an avant-garde image. In it, the glass is fixed to the supporting profiles on all four sides through the combination of clips and the insert or U-profile placed in the glass chamber. Furthermore, the great variety of profiles and existing mechanical connections for the new generation of CORTIZO façades made it possible to execute this curtain wall with corner glass joints at 90°. Likewise, the wide range of available transoms has allowed internal flush with the larger section mullions necessary for this project. On the other hand, the flush mullions and transoms for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd level, the continuation parts, the pipettes, the tear strip gaskets and the totally vulcanized corner guarantee the absolute watertightness, drainage and water evacuation of the enclosure;
an aspect that is even more important, given the climatic characteristics of the peninsular northwest, where the building is located. The SG 52 system also stands out for its excellent thermal and acoustic benefits, based on its wide thermal break zone and 40 mm glazing, characteristics that are reinforced by the excellent results achieved in the AEV test benches and the obtaining of the CWCT certification according to demanding British regulations
As for the distribution of the building, it has an open palafite structure that allows vehicle access to the building with parking on the ground floor. The plan is comprised of three longitudinal zones, accommodating in two of them the work spaces. The north-oriented zone is intended for product design and development activities, and is naturally illuminated through the fully glazed façade. Meanwhile, the south-facing zone hosts the parts of the programme that require compartmentalization such as meeting rooms, showrooms, private offices, pattern designing, e-commerce, lobby, etc.
The middle zone is dedicated to circulation with four cores, service spaces, and four vegetated courtyards which allow better lighting of the interior areas furthest from the façade perimeter, and simultaneously generate better natural air circulation to improve the thermal comfort during warm periods of the year.
It should be noted that the new Pull&Bear headquarters has been awarded the USGBC (United States Green Building Council) LEED GOLD qualification in terms of sustainability and energy saving, with particular emphasis on the use of courtyards, technological skins and treatment of the ground floor as an outdoor space ventilated with a parking function.
DATA SHEET
PROJECT: Pull & Bear Central Headquarters
LOCATION: Narón (A Coruña)
PROMOTER: Inditex
ARCHITECT: Batlle i Roig Arquitectura (Enric Batlle, Joan Roig, Albert Gil)
CORTIZO SYSTEMS: SG 52 Façade
INSTALLER: Grupo Caamaño
PHOTOGRAPHY: Antonio Navarro Wijkmark / Mauricio Rubal / Emilio Montero (Domo Estudio)