“I usually work from home and my schedules are quite dense, so I wanted to ensure a home that was easy to manage, central and where I could enjoy absolute privacy, as well as all the services”, explains Madalena Soares de Albergaria, a Portuguese woman, 30 years old, manager in a company in the energy sector. For her part, Emily Alati, a 31-year-old American freelancer, comments that she "was looking for a luxurious and comfortable building, with a concierge service available for package delivery." Both stay at Archie, the hometelier, a new, or nearly so, accommodation concept that combines the services and facilities of the most exclusive hotels with apartments designed with the spirit of home.
Archie was inaugurated last January in Barcelona, on the floor of the Arc de Triomf metro and train station -hence the name of the building- one of the most vital areas of the city, between the center and the 22nd district @. The structure, carried out by the architecture and interior design studio ABAA, is inspired by the industrial era of the Catalan capital with extensive use of iron and ceramic, brick and glass details to blend in with the environment; a work of architecture that pays homage to the Barcelona of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Due to its location, during the construction phase, metal pillars had to be used instead of concrete, to lighten its weight, which is 50% less than that of a comparable building, and thus respect the maximum loads of the underlying station. In addition, the architects used a damping system with springs under each pillar of the building, similar to that adopted in countries with high seismic risk such as Japan, with the aim of eliminating unwanted vibrations from train traffic.
The project also has the Breeam sustainability certification, solar panels and even has an insect hotel and a refuge for bats.
If the aparthotel concept is not new, it is the size and standing of this project. In fact, inside, Archie has a total of 108 one- and two-bedroom apartments, with surfaces ranging from 54 to 80 square meters, and terraces of at least eight meters. The interior design stands out for the use of light, warm materials and open spaces. In addition, the apartments can be joined to create even larger spaces with up to three bedrooms. There is no shortage of a rooftop with a heated pool, concierge services, meeting rooms and areas for parties and events.
“The objective was to turn these apartments into the home of its visitors, to give a personal and welcoming touch so that they feel at home. Decoration is key in these cases, since it is the small object that humanizes the space and helps us create a bond. For this we resort to formally simple objects but each one with its own personality and its own language”, explain the interior designers Irene Blanco and Daniel Rotmensch.
In charge of the project is Conren Tramway, a Spanish investment and promotion manager focused on the regeneration of urban spaces. According to the company, "in Spain there is great polarization between traditional long-term contracts and holiday stays or for days, on the other hand, we had identified the opportunity for growth in the rental market for months". In fact, they argue, “hotels have unique services but do not offer accommodation that can be considered a home and used for months. Neither are personalized services and contact with a like-minded community of guests”.
Finally, they say, "Archie is not only addressed to a public interested in living and working in Barcelona, but to people who want to enjoy a flexible life, spending a few months a year in a vibrant city, with all the comforts of a hotel and the warmth of a home and a community.”
However, it is clear that the target audience is made up of professionals with high purchasing power and those that everyone already knows as digital nomads. The prices move in a range that goes from 3,000 to 4,000 euros per month, with stays of between 1 and 12 months; most of the guests come from the US and European countries such as France, Italy, Germany, UK, Switzerland and Sweden.
“We were able to acclimatize to Barcelona much faster than if we had moved into a flat,” Emily Alati guarantees. In fact, to make sure that the lucky guests have everything they need in their experience in the city, Archie organizes and provides numerous services and activities: from delivery of beach towels with a simple click to participation in yoga classes scheduled for the community or on demand, to wine tastings in some of the best wineries in Catalonia.
The race to gain the largest number of digital nomads, in the last three years, has involved many of the world's major cities. According to data from MBO Partners, in 2019 there were 7.3 million people on the planet leading this type of life. A figure that, according to his calculations, has doubled in the space of three years, to 16.9 million reached in 2022.
Despite the great media coverage, it is not a mass phenomenon, but certainly a lifestyle that a growing number of people are trying out, with the consequent creation of interesting business opportunities, as well as underestimated negative consequences at the individual and social. In 2022 alone, rents in Lisbon increased by 37 percent and in Barcelona, another favorite destination for international smart workers, there are neighborhoods like Poble Nou that have been clearly affected by gentrification.
In this sense, Conren Tramway defends his project against, for example, the Airbnb model: “the effects of medium and short-term rentals are not similar. With medium-term rentals, you can create a rooted population and a new model of resident who wants to live for months in the city, contribute to the local community and even become a permanent resident.” Of course, a very select community.
