Gloriés Tower

Like liquid architecture, color flows through the curved surface of the tower, evoking the movement of water. To embrace the roots of the city of Barcelona and reinforce its traditional identity of Gaudi´s polychromatic ceramic technique called Trencadís, Alain Bony used a harmonious palette of over forty shades to to give life to the facade.

For architect Jean Nouvel, it was important to keep alive tradition and culture since they represent the essence of the place. Numerous variations were tested and throughout the use of canvases, Alain Bony explored several combinations to perform Nouvel’s idea.

The study of the colour palette included the construction of a 1:1 mockup of one piece of outer shell of the tower, where specific parameters could be analyzed: its real proportion impact and the solar incidence.

Alain Bony selected the intensity and color depth that best mimics the surroundings in a way in which colour does not dominate the scene, but rather follows it. In order to achieve balance, experimentation was vital. Only a few meters away from the iconic Sagrada Familia, the Agbar tower blends into the blue sky. Despite its height, the building does not interrupt the skyline but in fact camouflages itself in the Mediterranean atmosphere, rising as a landmark.

Architect: Jean Nouvel

Status: Realized

Date: 1999 - 2005

Location: Barcelona, Spain

Photo credit: Philippe Ruault