Cirerers

Cirerers is an innovative cooperative housing project located in the Roquetes neighborhood of Barcelona, Spain. Developed by Sostre Cívic, it represents a new model of affordable housing that prioritizes community living and sustainability. The project consists of an eight-story building with 32 apartments and shared spaces, making it the tallest wooden structure in Catalonia and Spain. The building's design, created by Celobert Architects, emphasizes community interaction with features like street-landings on each floor and common interior spaces on the ground floor. The apartments are relatively small (averaging 50 m2) to allow for more communal areas, totaling 771 m2 of shared space. The project also incorporates sustainable elements, using biodegradable materials with a low ecological footprint, primarily wood. Cirerers operates on a unique tenure model where residents are members of the cooperative and have the right to use the housing, rather than owning it outright. This approach aims to prevent speculation and promote long-term affordability. The project also fosters inter-cooperation within the social and solidarity economy, involving various non-profit entities in its development and management. Completed in 2022, Cirerers has become a landmark in Barcelona's cooperative housing movement, demonstrating an alternative approach to urban living that balances individual needs with community values and environmental responsibility.