The economic crisis can become an opportunity to radically rethink the way architecture is done. This is the conviction that emerges from the words of the architects at Studio Lacol, a cooperative architecture firm founded in Barcelona in 2009 that has established itself as one of the most innovative firms in the European social and sustainable architecture scene.

Founded by a group of young professionals, Studio Lacol has been able to turn challenges into opportunities to develop an alternative architectural practice based on principles of environmental sustainability, social justice and community participation. During the meeting with Diasen, Lacol's architects shared their professional experience, describing a vision of living that goes beyond the construction of physical spaces to become a tool for social transformation.

From Crisis to Awareness: A New Way of Designing
Studio Lacol's journey began with a profound reflection on the role of architecture in contemporary society. As the designers themselves explain, their generation experienced the architectural boom of the pre-crisis years, characterised by spectacular projects and unlimited budgets, only to find themselves completely rethinking their professional approach.

This transformation led them to embrace simple, relatively inexpensive architecture that is always geared towards improving people's lives. For Studio Lacol, architecture is not just a physical element or space for its own sake, but a tool for transforming the way people live and relate to each other.

The Experience of Vivienda Cooperatives: Rethinking Collective Living
For years, the studio has been working mainly in the field of co-housing (cooperativas de vivienda), developing a comprehensive approach that considers not only construction aspects but also social and relational dynamics. Each project stems from reflection on how people will live in the building, what common spaces it can offer, and how to foster relationships between residents.

This approach has led Lacol to conceive of architecture as a tool for social transformation, capable of influencing people's quality of life through conscious design choices. The experience of the neighborhood where they began working, the Sants district of Barcelona, has profoundly influenced their understanding of the profession, teaching them the importance of a broad vision of sustainability.

360-degree sustainability: materials, energy and society
In Studio Lacol's vision, sustainability is not limited to material aspects, but embraces a holistic view that includes social, economic and relational dimensions. As the designers explain, it is not possible to solve the climate crisis by installing solar panels on all roofs: a radical change in lifestyle is needed, which architecture can promote through appropriate design choices.

The approach to material sustainability favours local products such as lime, wood, earth and cork, seeking to minimise environmental impact and transport distances. However, working mainly in social self-build, they often have to balance ecological aspirations and economic constraints.

Cork as the Protagonist of Healthy Architecture

Among natural materials, cork occupies a special place in Lacol's design philosophy. As the architects point out, this material not only offers excellent thermal performance, but also fits directly into the architecture of health, ensuring breathability, humidity management, and living comfort.

Cork embodies the studio's approach to materials: it is a derivative of the biosphere, therefore recoverable according to natural rhythms, unlike synthetic materials that require geological eras to regenerate. Furthermore, its concentrated presence in the Mediterranean area allows for the creation of circular economies at the local level, reducing dependence on materials from other parts of the world.

Mediterranean Architecture: Tradition and Climate Innovation
Reflection on Mediterranean architecture emerges as a central element in Lacol's vision. Architects emphasise how the changing Mediterranean climate requires new design strategies. In this context, it is essential to develop solutions designed more for heat than for cold, enhancing thermal inertia, natural ventilation and humidity control.

The Mediterranean has always been a crossroads of influences and cultures, capable of integrating the best solutions from different traditions. Today, according to Lacol, we need to look to the Mediterranean to learn how to manage heat, which represents the great climatic challenge of the future.

La Borda: A Manifesto of Sustainable Architecture
The project that best represents Lacol's philosophy is La Borda, a building that has won numerous awards, demonstrating the possibility of creating architecture with almost zero environmental impact.

The building is built around a central patio covered by a greenhouse, which acts as a naturally air-conditioned intermediate space. In winter, the greenhouse captures solar heat, maintaining temperatures 5-6 degrees higher than outside; in summer, it protects from the sun and sea humidity, creating a more comfortable microclimate.

The La Borda project demonstrates how architecture can function through complex but simplified systems, where a few solutions resolve regulatory and functional problems without resorting to complex technological systems that would require costly maintenance.

Towards an Architecture of Natural Materials
The experience of Studio Lacol demonstrates how the choice of materials represents an act of design responsibility that goes beyond performance. Each material, in fact, carries with it a history and an environmental and social impact that influence the quality of living spaces.

The path towards more sustainable architecture involves rediscovering natural materials capable of creating the architecture of health that Lacol architects talk about. In this scenario, research and innovation in the field of biocompatible materials become fundamental in supporting designers and architects in the construction of buildings that respect both the environment and the people who live in them.

Diasen's approach to materials is part of this vision, offering technical solutions that make it possible to realise the design ideals of studios such as Lacol, where sustainability, health and architectural beauty converge towards a more conscious future in construction.