La Borda
The Pitch
La Borda is a community-led cooperative housing project that provides sustainable, communal living space at affordable rates. It was created in response to Spain’s rising housing costs and gentrification.
The Problem
Spain is facing a growing housing affordability crisis, with evictions at an all-time high and housing costs in Barcelona increasing by 40% from 2014 to 2020.
The Process
- Piloted a housing cooperative project, where (for the first time) Spain gave public land to a grant-of-use housing cooperative
- Minimized the environmental impact of the building project and reduced energy demand by not building an underground car park and using passive bioclimatic strategies and cross-laminated timber (a renewable material)
- Incorporated community input into the design, construction and management phases using an internal structure of working committees and a monthly general assembly
- Held workshops for residents to increase their awareness of and expertise in communal living projects and sustainability
The Impact
- Serves as a successful example of sustainable, communal housing: La Borda has a near net-zero energy consumption rate and over 25% of floor area is devoted to common space, including a communal kitchen-dining room, a multipurpose space, two guest rooms, a laundry room, bicycle parking, an atrium and terraces
- Reduced cost of living: Similar housing in Barcelona would cost, on average, €12.63/m² ($1.34/ft²), while La Borda’s monthly fee is around €7€/m² ($0.74/ft²)
- Provides long-term housing stability: contracts are forever instead of the typical 5-year model
- Created a strong sense of community and belonging: Residents are now experts in sustainable living and energy savings, and most choose to bike instead of driving a car
- Supported residents to open a food co-op on the first floor and cook a communal vegetarian dinner weekly for 40 other residents, aged 2-70
- Led to the codification of the process of the Spanish government providing public land for housing cooperatives into public policy: 500+ units have been finished or have land allotted and building plans
