W Hotel 'La Vela'

Description of the project

Designed by Ricardo Bofill, the W Hotel in Barcelona is an iconic, avant-garde hotel that dominates the skyline, providing fantastic views over the city and Mediterranean Sea.

Located in the famous La Barceloneta district, the hotel boasts 473 rooms, including 67 suites, spa and fitness centre, indoor and outdoor pools, terraces, beaches, rooftop bar with stunning panoramic views of the capital, dance rooms and restaurants, including a Michelin-Star gourmet restaurant led by chef Carles Abellan.

Shaped like a ship’s sail, the building has a smooth, stunning glass façade that envelops it, including curved sections. Guardian SunGuard® High Performance (HP) Silver 43/31 solar protective glass was chosen for its combination of aesthetic and performance qualities.

This coated solar control glass allows plenty of natural daylight into the building (43% light transmission) but minimises solar energy gain. This reduces glare from direct sunlight but provides excellent solar heat reflection, helping to keep the building cool and reducing demands on air conditioning. The appearance of the glass is one of uniform reflection and colour.