Shelter for Homeless Women in Barcelona by Vivas Arquitectos: A Transformative Social Housing Project

Located in the Sarria-Sant Gervasi neighborhood of Barcelona, above Kennedy Square, the new Shelter for Homeless Women designed by Vivas Arquitectos replaces the former emergency reception center with a thoughtfully designed facility that addresses both immediate and long-term needs. Covering an area of 3,012 m² and completed in 2023, this innovative shelter combines day and night centers, providing accommodation for up to 100 women experiencing homelessness.

Rethinking Social Housing for Women

Traditionally, homeless shelters focused solely on providing emergency care, offering basic necessities for the largest number of residents. This project redefines the approach by emphasizing individualized support. Residents are guided toward social, educational, labor, and medical resources, facilitating a path to autonomous living and societal reintegration.

Design Objectives: Safety, Community, and Home

Vivas Arquitectos structured the shelter around three core objectives:

1. Safe and Private Spaces The design prioritizes security and privacy, creating a welcoming environment separated from the urban bustle. A perimeter garden serves as a protective filter, ensuring a tranquil, secure atmosphere for residents.

2. Socialization and Interaction The project incorporates porches, terraces, galleries, and communal meeting areas that encourage socialization among residents. These flexible, intermediate spaces allow women to freely engage with the environment and foster community bonds.

3. Homely Atmosphere By utilizing warm, natural materials and a human-scaled design, the shelter avoids the institutional feel common to traditional facilities. The interiors prioritize comfort, creating a sense of home that supports emotional well-being.

Architectural Approach and Functional Design

The building’s volumetric form responds to programmatic needs and urban boundaries: 8 meters from the street, 5 meters from side and rear limits. The result is a rectangular prism, approximately 60 meters long, 16 meters wide, and 9 meters high, divided into three floors. Strategic hollowed-out volumes create terraces, porches, and open spaces, fostering interaction between the interior and exterior.

Programmatically, large functional zones ensure efficient operation for both staff and residents. Two staircases act as central axes, connecting different areas while encouraging movement and engagement within the space.

Sustainability and Passive Design

Sustainability is a key component of the project. The shelter employs passive strategies, including high-performance insulation—partly achieved through extensive wood use—and retractable awnings automatically adjusted according to solar exposure and temperature. These features contribute to a nearly zero-energy building, certified BREEAM Excellent, showcasing Barcelona’s commitment to sustainable social housing.

This project demonstrates how architecture can be a transformative force, providing safety, dignity, and empowerment to vulnerable populations while setting a benchmark for sustainable, human-centered design.

All Photographs are works of José Hevia©