La Borda is the first housing cooperative under a grant-of-use model built on public land in Spain. It is a self-developed project promoted by its residents that seeks to guarantee decent, non-speculative housing, placing use value at the center and fostering a collective structure. Through its realization, it shows that it is possible to promote an alternative model to expand affordable housing in the city. The initiative began in 2012, linked to the recovery of the Can Batlló industrial complex and the cooperative fabric of the Sants neighborhood. The building stands on a plot granted by Barcelona City Council for 75 years.

The project is conceived as a prototype that addresses the challenges of collective housing through sustainability and social transformation. It commits to low environmental impact construction and passive dwellings that guarantee comfort with minimal energy consumption. It also promotes alternative ways of living through a strong presence of communal spaces that encourage coexistence and mutual support networks, without neglecting private domains.

The program is organized around three principles: redefining collective housing, with 28 dwellings of 40, 60 and 75 m² and communal spaces all articulated around a central courtyard; ensuring sustainability and environmental quality throughout the building’s life cycle; and guaranteeing the active participation of the residents in the design, construction and management.