El Cubo
Context
El Cubo is the central landmark of Vera Sevilla, an ambitious urban regeneration scheme located on the banks of the Guadalquivir River, on the site of the former Altadis tobacco factory. The 24,000 m² development, representing an investment of €250 million, will integrate a luxury hotel, retail units, cultural spaces, landscaped areas, a large public square and a pedestrian footbridge connecting Los Remedios with Seville’s historic centre.
Designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, the project promotes urban regeneration rooted in sustainability, architectural excellence and climate-responsive design, particularly relevant in a demanding environment such as Seville.
Scope
Aluman is delivering the façades for El Cubo, the most emblematic and largest-volume building within the complex, comprising over 8,800 m² of envelope.
The scope includes up to eight façade typologies, combining stick curtain wall systems, high-performance glazing, sandwich panels, ceramic fins, lacquered extruded aluminium and bespoke solutions such as a Flexbrick double-skin system within the internal courtyard, installed on a stainless-steel substructure.
Challenge
The primary technical challenge lies in climate adaptation within an environment subject to high temperatures for much of the year. The building envelope has been engineered to maximise interior comfort, optimise thermal insulation and significantly reduce the building’s energy demand.
Glazing, as a defining element of the façade, incorporates advanced solutions with optimised solar control coefficients to mitigate solar gain without compromising transparency or river views. This performance is enhanced by transverse fins projecting from the façade to provide additional shading.
The result will position El Cubo among the most efficient buildings in Spain in terms of adaptation to warm climates, demonstrating the strategic role of the building envelope in decarbonisation and urban resilience.
