Perkins&Will has revitalized a former 1970s corporate complex, focusing on well-being and ecological regeneration in Madrid, Spain. 

The new worldwide headquarters of ACCIONA, a global leader in infrastructure and renewable energy, in Madrid has raised the bar for sustainable and connected office design. 

Perkins&Will, an interdisciplinary architecture and design firm, created the working interiors, which are situated on a 10-hectare site in a central Madrid region. 

The new building, named Named Acciona Headquarters, will demonstrate ACCIONA's dedication to wellbeing, innovation, and sustainability.

The project revitalized the area with a lush landscape and new facilities for 4,000 workers on the site of a corporate campus that had been abandoned for decades. Along with an auditorium and other facilities, the site has three office buildings, one of which was designed by Fenwick Iribarren Architects and features Perkins & Will interiors. 

Two of the historic buildings underwent extensive renovations, and Perkins & Will's interior designers created modern, light-filled spaces that complemented the old materials and structure.

The company's dedication to sustainability, innovation, and people is reflected in the ACCIONA Campus. It combines ACCIONA's worldwide experience in infrastructure and renewable energy to create a work environment that promotes wellbeing, creativity, and teamwork. It is intended to serve as a model for workplaces of the future. 

The Campus combines cutting-edge technology with environmentally friendly design to encourage staff to realize their full potential while making a good impact on business and the environment.

"By working with the grain of the existing structures and embracing natural elements, we’ve created a workspace that is both timeless and future-facing," said Perkin&Will Design Lead Mijail Gutierrez. 

"ACCIONA wanted a workspace that exemplifies their values and mission, and we expressed this through serene and luminous aesthetic that celebrates light, shadow, air, and water and fosters a deep connection between employees, nature, and ACCIONA’s mission to build a sustainable future," Perkin&Will added.

Designing for well-being and connection

With flexible offices, coworking spaces, and event spaces that combine efficiency and comfort, the campus places a strong emphasis on human experience and interdisciplinary collaboration. 

External pavilions and terraces provide shaded getaways with fresh air and expansive views, while interconnected staircases and common areas encourage mobility and impromptu conversation. 

Mental clarity and physical vitality are supported by areas set aside for quiet introspection, circadian rhythm-optimized lighting, and improved thermal and acoustic comfort.

The interior design harmonizes old and new by contrasting raw textures like concrete, brick, and galvanized metals with refined materials. 

A calm and bright ambiance that honors the interaction of light and shadow is created by a subdued color scheme of white, wood, and reflective surfaces that pays homage to Spanish vernacular architecture.

By bringing daylight deep into the floor plates, architectural interventions reduce the need for artificial lighting and improve visual comfort. 

The apartments are given an ethereal yet cozy atmosphere by the dramatic chiaroscuro moments created by organic, sculptural forms placed against the Iberian sunshine. 

Innovation and sustainability at every level

The campus is in compliance with EU Taxonomy and satisfies the strictest environmental requirements, earning LEED Platinum and WELL Platinum certifications.

With on-site solar PV, geothermal systems, and heat recovery technology, it runs completely on sustainable energy. ACCIONA's own low-carbon materials are clearly shown, locally sourced wood and antibacterial metals improve sustainability, and modular design enables flexibility and waste reduction.

3D-printed joinery, custom ceiling fans created with ACCIONA's innovation lab, and robotics for logistics and security are examples of technological innovations.

A regenerative landscape rooted in ecology

The ACCIONA-commissioned landscape design demonstrates a dedication to both worker welfare and ecological rehabilitation. With the planting of 20,000 shrubs and 1,000 new trees, historic pine groves have been enlarged and conserved. 

Climate-adapted native species were given priority because they needed less water. 

While natural meadows replace large lawns and enhance soil health, lessen erosion, and harmonize the landscape, rainwater reuse and greywater recycling technologies promote sustainable water management. As a result, the campus not only improves student well-being but also revitalizes the surrounding area.

The multidisciplinary, research-based architecture and design firm Perkins&Will was established in 1935 with the conviction that design has the capacity to change people's lives. 

Through Living Design, a strategy that combines environmental, social, and design factors to promote ecological health and well-being, the company is dedicated to building a better, more beautiful, and more equitable world.

Schmidt Hammer Lassen and Perkins&Will completed an arts centre evoking "a theater curtain parting at the beginning of a performance" in Beijing, China.

Project facts

Project name: Acciona Headquarters

Location: Avenida de la Gran Vía de Hortaleza, 3, 28033 Madrid, Spain

Project size: 400,000 sq ft / 37,162 sq m (Campus)

Number of buildings: Three

Building 6: 260,750 sqft

Building 7: 208,013 sqft

Building 9: 248,758 sqft

Credentials: LEED Platinum, WELL Platinum

Start date: September 2019

Campus completion: March 2025

Client/occupier: Acciona

Architect/interior design: Perkins&Will (common areas, finishes, ceilings, WCs)

Architect: Fenwick Iribarren Architects (shell and core for buildings 6, 7 & 9) 

Landscape architect & Landscaper: Gregorio Marañón

All images © Timothy Soar.

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