(BARCELONA) - aparto, the award-winning student housing platform fully owned by global real estate firm Hines, announces its first student residence in Spain to open in September 2022. aparto Barcelona Pallars, owned by Commerz Real, is located in the 22@, the city’s innovation district, and accommodates 743 beds covering 26,000 square meters.
Commerz Real, a subsidiary of Germany’s Commerzbank, acquired Barcelona Pallars from Hines and Henderson Park in March 2021 and aparto will manage the student housing. The student housing will offer a total of 743 beds providing students with the option of twin, ensuite or studio rooms. The cutting-edge facilities at aparto Barcelona Pallars include: an external c. 45-meter length infinity pool, a 900 square meter rooftop terrace, 2,500 square meters of gardens including the Butterfly Garden (named because of the type of plants that attract butterflies), the Smell Garden (due to the mixture of aromatic plants), 1,400 square meters of amenity space including a gym with a weight, cardio, and yoga studios, two cinema rooms, leisure areas, and a bar offering both food and drink services.
In addition, a central feature of aparto’s offering is its first-class experience with a focus on the arts including an initiative in which street artists will design some of the paintings on the building, and a mental health program available to all students all year around, strengthened by aparto employees receiving mental health training to identify anyone who may need help.
aparto Barcelona Pallars has been designed by the Catalonian architecture studio Battle i Roig, a pioneer in landscape architecture, interweaving structures with natural spaces like gardens. Upon construction completion, the building will receive the LEED Gold and WELL Platinum Certifications for sustainability.
aparto offers students a unique safe study experience and flexible model offering medium and long-term stays, from a few months to a full year, with all-inclusive rates including cleaning, Wi-Fi connection, linen services, and some additional features related to sports and wellness sessions, cocktail and cooking classes, and a series of entertainment evenings including movie nights, sports matches and tournaments. aparto’s focus is to create places where students feel at home living within a strong community.
Fully owned by Hines, aparto has a long track-record in the management of student housing across Europe. With this new launch, aparto will be active in four countries: Ireland, Italy, Spain, and the UK. Now with 16 properties, aparto has a strong presence in 11 European cities and arrives in Barcelona marking its ambition for further growth across Spain.
Tom Rix, director – managing director at aparto, UK, comments: “With aparto Barcelona Pallars, Hines is introducing first-class student housing in Spain. Pallars mirrors what today’s students want in terms of facilities, amenities, community engagement, and wellbeing programs. We have already successfully demonstrated that this innovative model is in high demand in Italy, Ireland, and the UK and we anticipate the same success here in Spain and can’t wait to welcome students to Barcelona.”
aparto
aparto is the Hines student housing platform with 16 sites in the UK, Ireland, Italy and Spain, with another property due to open in Spain. Its objective is to be one of Europe’s leading student accommodation operators, with a special focus on cutting-edge facilities, specific attention to the management of individuals’ health and safety and community engagement links. The brand ensures a person-centric residential experience thanks to the many facilities provided by each single site and the hosting of events and opportunities for networking open to all.
For more info, visit https://apartostudent.com/it.
The entire student life experience is based on three core values:
- Service - namely cutting-edge facilities and a sector-leading experience program, with expert friendly staff to provide residents with the best student experience in their new home-away-from-home
- Belonging - to a community of like-minded individuals in great surroundings that promote health and wellness
- Community - providing direct links with the public and local facilities to share ideas, create memories and host joint projects
About Hines
Hines is a privately owned global real estate investment firm founded in 1957 with a presence in 285 cities in 28 countries. Hines oversees investment assets under management valued at approximately $90.3 billion¹. In addition, Hines provides third-party property-level services to 373 properties totaling 114.2 million square feet. Historically, Hines has developed, redeveloped, or acquired approximately 1,530 properties, totaling over 511 million square feet. The firm currently has more than 198 developments underway around the world. With extensive experience in investments across the risk spectrum and all property types, and a foundational commitment to ESG, Hines is one of the largest and most-respected real estate organizations in the world.
Since entering Europe in 1991, Hines has grown its European platform to include offices in 17 cities as well as a presence in 60 cities in 14 countries. Hines oversees investment assets under management valued at approximately €24.5 billion and provides third-party property-level services totaling 4.3 million square metres in Europe, in Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom.
Visit www.hines.com for more information.
- Includes both the global Hines organization as well as RIA AUM as of 31 December 2021
About Commerz Real
Commerz Real is a subsidiary of German Commerzbank AG with 50 years of market experience and approximately 34 billion euros in assets under management. The company combines comprehensive know-how in asset management and a broad-based structuring expertise to deliver its signature range of services of fund products focused on tangibles and bespoke financing solutions. The fund spectrum includes the open-ended real estate fund Hausinvest, Germany’s first retail impact fund for real assets Klimavest, institutional investment products as well as entrepreneurial participations in real estate, aircraft, regenerative energy and ships. In its role as leasing company of Commerzbank Group, Commerz Real offers tailored equipment leasing concepts. www.commerzreal.com
