Hill International has managed high-profile building projects in multiple sectors throughout Spain. A highlight of our portfolio is Merlin Properties’ comprehensive renovation of an existing office building in the heart of Madrid’s financial district.

Rebranded as Ruiz Picasso 11, the renovated facility features nearly 37,000 SM of leasable commercial and office space over 10 floors, as well as a variety of features to boost occupant comfort and sustainability. Among the upgrades are multiple terraces, pedestrian pathways, a spacious atrium, additional elevators, and the largest office floor in Madrid. Most impressive of all, Ruiz Picasso 11’s new passive modular curtain wall maintains comfortable conditions for occupants at a minimal energy cost, dramatically improving the building’s efficiency and contributing to its net-zero energy rating. This element also helped earn the project a variety of certifications, such as LEED Platinum, LEED Zero, WELL Gold, WiredScore Platinum, SmartScore, and AIS.

“The project’s success is even more impressive when you consider the technical and management challenges the team had to overcome,” says Operations Director Angel Chicharro.

Major management challenges included the incorporation of late design changes and the multitude of construction packages. Technical challenges included underpinning the building’s foundations with micropiles and steel pile caps, constructing a new central core with eight high-speed elevators to replace the four existing cores, and creating a new pedestrian pathway connecting Picasso Plaza and Trías Bertrán Plaza. However, the project’s most significant challenge involved logistics.

“The site is very crowded,” Angel goes on. “It’s located in one of Madrid’s busiest areas along Paseo de la Castellana, so there was constant pedestrian and automobile traffic. Plus, the construction team had to work with limited access to surrounding roads. We needed careful planning, close coordination with Merlin and other stakeholders, and regular inspections to overcome logistical challenges, confirm compliance with design documents, and promote site safety.”

“In accordance with the European Union’s goals for sustainability, we can expect to see more and more owners striving to incorporate passive curtain walls and other promising green solutions on building projects in Spain and throughout Western Europe,” adds Country Manager Pilar Pereira. “We are proud to contribute to the market’s ongoing transformation by helping visionary clients like Merlin Properties overcome challenges and deliver their sustainable, next generation properties.”