Project Spotlight: Las Arenas Shopping Centre in Barcelona
by Armando Martin
The Las Arenas Shopping Centre is located in one of the most important tourist areas in Barcelona’s Plaza de España. It was built inside the historic Las Arenas bullring and is considered the first project of its kind. Housing some 125,000 m2 of space for commerce, leisure and offices, the center has five floors above and five floors below ground. Four of the floors are designated for parking, and three serve commerce and leisure activities, as well as a metro station. The building is crowned with a 27-m-high semi-transparent dome that completely covers the facility, which is one of the largest domes in Europe. Construction began in 2003 but was not completed until March 2011 due to several construction challenges faced by the building’s historic structure.
ThyssenKrupp Elevadores was tasked with providing the vertical-transportation equipment for the facility, which includes the old bullring, a communications tower and an annex office. The company provided and installed 13 elevators and 25 escalators throughout the center. Some of the elevators are panoramic and feature glass ceilings and floors, providing passengers with a view from all directions. Two of the elevators are outdoor models (as the shaft is a metallic structure without covering) and required a specific assembly procedure, as there are no walls in the shaft. Escalator assembly tools were used in the cargo lift due to the weight and size of the components.
| Panoramic Elevators in Shopping Center Number: Two Model: Latitude Load: 1000 kg Speed: 1.6 mps Number of stops: Four Travel distance: 25.3 m Doors: Glass, 900 mm X 2,000 mm AC Car: Panoramic, with glass floor, ceiling, walls and doors Controller: CMC 3 |
Semipanoramic Elevators Joining the Car Park with Shopping Center Number: Two Model: Latitude Load: 2300 kg Speed: 1.6 mps Number of stops: Five Travel distance: 12.75 m Doors: Stainless steel and glass, 1,200 mm X 2,100 mm AC Car: Semipanoramic, with glass and stainless steel, RIMEX IR 20 type and stainless steel floor, Controller: CMC 3 |
| Panoramic Elevators in Communications Tower Number: Two Model: Engine beneath (underslung) Load: 1200 kg Speed: 1 mps Number of stops: Three Travel distance: 32.60 m Doors: Glass, 900 mm X 2,400 mm, AC Car: Panoramic, with glass floor, ceiling, walls and doors Controller: CMC 3, automatic rescue |
Cargo Lifts in Shopping Center Number: Two Model: Latitude Load: 1275 kg Speed: 1 mps Number of stops: Seven, front Travel distance: 36-50 m Doors: Stainless steel, 1,200 mm X 2,100 mm, AC Car: Stainless steel, RIMEX IR20 special type Controller: CMC 3 |
| Car Lift in Office Building and Shopping Center Number: One Model: Engine beneath (underslung) Load: 6000 kg Speed: 0.5 mps Number of stops: Six, front Travel distance: 32.6 m Doors: Stainless steel, four doors, 2,200 mm X 2,800 mm, AC Car: Stainless steel, RIMEX IR20 special type Controller: CMC 3 |
Panoramic Elevators in Office Building Number: Two Model: Engine above Load: 1000 kg Speed: 1.6 mps Number of stops: Nine Travel distance: 36.75 m Doors: Glass, four doors, 900 mm X 2,100 mm, AC Car: Panoramic, with glass floor, ceiling, walls and doors Controller: CMC 3 |
| Hydraulic Elevators in Office Building Number: Two Model: HD Load: 630 kg Speed: 0.6 mps Number of stops: Three Travel distance: 7.65 m Doors: Stainless steel, four doors 800 mm X 2,000 mm, AC Car: Stainless steel, RIMEX IR20 special type Controller: CMC 3 |
Escalators Installed in the Main Communications Area Joining Car Park Levels with Shopping Area Number: 14 Model: Velino Extra Height difference: Between 3.1 m and 5.6 m Step width: 1,000 mm Speed: 0.5 mps Capacity: 6,000 persons per hour Balustrade: Slim Lighting: At base of trim |
| Escalators Installed on the Main Axis of the Square Number: Six Model: Velino Extra Height difference: Between 8 m and 10.5 m Step width: 1,000 mm Speed: 0.5 mps Capacity: 6,000 persons per hour Balustrade: Slim Lighting: At base of trim |
Escalators Joining Levels 0 and 2 Number: Three Model: Velino Extra Height difference: 5.2 m Step width: 1,000 mm Speed: 0.5 mps Capacity: 6,000 persons per hour Balustrade: Slim Lighting: At base of trim |
| Outdoor Escalators Connecting Metro Exit and Shopping Center Number: Two Model: Velino Extra Height difference: 5.35 Step width: 1,000 mm Speed: 0.5 mps Capacity: 6,000 persons per hour Balustrade: Glass Lighting: At base of trim |
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Armando Martin has been head of Projects for ThyssenKrupp Elevadores Spain since 1988. He began his career as an industrial engineer.
