aRTes Case Studies Series – Spain

Aug 26

2 min read

In many Mediterranean cities, rooftops are beginning to play a much more active role in addressing some of today's most pressing urban challenges. From improving biodiversity and reducing the urban heat island effect to creating opportunities for food production and community engagement, these elevated spaces are increasingly recognised as valuable assets for more sustainable cities. The newly published Spain Case Studies Factsheets, developed within the Active RoofTops South Europe (aRTes) project, explore a diverse collection of rooftop interventions that demonstrate how architecture and nature can successfully coexist above street level.

What makes the Spanish examples particularly interesting is the variety of functions they accommodate. Rather than following a single design approach, each project responds to different environmental, social and urban priorities. Some rooftops have become productive landscapes, others focus on biodiversity or community use, while all of them reveal how existing buildings can contribute to healthier and more resilient urban environments.

The publication opens with the Hotel InterContinental Barcelona, where the rooftop has been transformed into a multifunctional green space that combines vegetation with leisure and hospitality. Carefully integrated planting enhances the visitor experience while helping improve the building's environmental performance. Beyond its visual appeal, the project demonstrates how green roofs can strengthen biodiversity, mitigate the urban heat island effect and create more comfortable outdoor environments within dense city centres.

A completely different perspective is presented through Can Jardí, a rooftop dedicated to urban agriculture. Here, food production becomes the central element of the design, with productive gardens supporting local food systems while reconnecting people with the origins of what they consume. The project highlights how rooftops can become spaces where environmental sustainability and community wellbeing go hand in hand, encouraging healthier lifestyles and greater awareness of urban food production.

The publication also features Cubierta Verde, an intervention that demonstrates the ecological value of rooftop greening within residential environments. Native vegetation, carefully selected planting strategies and biodiversity-friendly design contribute to improving local ecosystems while reducing heat accumulation and managing rainwater more effectively. At the same time, the project illustrates how even relatively small rooftop interventions can generate meaningful environmental benefits when integrated into the wider urban fabric.

Although each project has been developed within a different setting, together they reflect a common vision for the future of Mediterranean cities. Instead of treating rooftops as unused technical surfaces, the featured examples encourage us to see them as opportunities to introduce nature into densely built environments, improve environmental performance and create places that benefit both people and ecosystems.

The Spain Case Studies Factsheets bring together practical experiences that can inspire architects, planners, municipalities, researchers and building owners interested in unlocking the full potential of rooftops. By documenting successful projects from across Spain, the publication demonstrates that rooftop transformation is not simply an architectural trend but an important step towards creating greener, healthier and more resilient cities.