Culture, Education and Leisure

Caixa Forum Edificio Ágora Ciudad De Las Ciencias De Valencia

SpainContractors: Sun Systems Fraga 1, S.L.

Caixa Forum Edificio Ágora Ciudad De Las Ciencias De Valencia - Gypsum International Trophy 2025

Project description

The Ágora Caixa Building Forum, located in the heart of the City of Arts and Sciences of Valencia, is an efficient and sustainable construction that has Leed Platinum certification. The envelope of the auditorium and partitions of the exhibition halls have been executed with Placo® PIP and arena APTA Isover high performance insulation to achieve high impact resistance and excellent thermal and acoustic conditioning. The partition walls and the cladding interiors have Placo® PPF and Megaplac® PPF and Isover insulation to provide the space with high protection against fire. This spectacular project required different volumes combined with different heights to obtain a modern aesthetic.

Main information

Sustainability certification goal

Building size

6.500 m²

Building purpose / type

Museum, Restaurant and Auditorium

Building owner name

Fundación Bancaria La Caixa

Architect name

Enric Ruiz Geli

Contractors

Sun Systems Fraga 1, S.L.

Company name: Sun Systems Fraga 1, S.L.

Main Representative: Juan Ignacio Díaz Durán, Jesús Mora Domenech

Specialties: Dry partitioning, Fire protection, Ceilings

Founded in: 2010

Biography: Sun Systms Fraga is a company specialized in dry partitioning, ceilings, passive protection and acoustic insulation. Its growth is based mainly on the quality, speed and precision of its services. Its mission is to carry out each job with the utmost dedication, taking care of every detail of the reform to be carried out.

Website: www.sun1.es

Key Challenges

Highs, dimensions and proportions
• The different highs, dimensions and proportions not only of the new building, but also the space in which it is located, made the new Agora building a whole challenge for the installers.
• The new construction had different uses: exhibition hall, restaurant and auditorium.
Access to the building
• The material entrance in the structure for construct the new Ágora building was difficult, as well as coordination the times and spaces with other agents involved in the project.

Key Achievements

All Placo® solutions were combined with Isover mineral wool – SG Complete Systems
• All the solutions used in this project are complete systems which integrates Placo® plasterboards and arena APTA insulation, the most iconic mineral wool from Isover for interior partitions.
• High fire protection due to Placo® PPF and Megaplac PPF® boards.
Vanguard, modern and fresh architecture
• The result of this new building was an artistic construction with high-efficiency level, a whole demonstration where design, functionality and installation converge.

Sustainability in the project

LEED Platinum certification, the maximum level
• Better for the planet: the Ágora Caixa Forum building has the highest LEED certification, which demonstrate the compromise of the museum with the environment. It also proves a lower CO2 emissions level and contribute to achieve better energy-efficiency.
• Better for the people: the materials used in this project provides more comfort and a higher thermal and acoustic insulation in all the spaces.
Visual comfort
• An open-space collect the restaurant, the auditorium and the exposition hall designed with lighter materials, which visually also evokes lightness.