In the Pinares Hills Malaga architects are working in the luxury villa project in Pinares de San Anton, Malaga, some of the initially planned concrete walls are being replaced with gabion walls during the execution phase. Gabion walls offer several advantages over traditional concrete structures, aligning with the project’s commitment to sustainability and integration with the natural environment.

A gabion wall is a retaining structure built with metal mesh baskets filled with materials like stones, boulders, or crushed rock. These baskets, typically made of galvanised or PVC-coated steel to resist corrosion, are assembled and stacked to form a solid, permeable barrier.

Using local or recycled stones as fill reduces material costs3. Installation requires less heavy machinery and fewer specialised personnel due to its relatively simple assembly7. Concrete walls, however, involve higher costs in materials (cement, aggregates, steel reinforcement), processes like formwork and pouring, and require skilled workers and more complex technical processes to ensure stability.

Regarding environmental impact, gabion walls can be constructed with natural, local materials, reducing the carbon footprint associated with transport5. They are more environmentally friendly and integrate better into rural or natural landscapes. Concrete production has a high environmental impact due to carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions.

Lastly, gabion walls offer advantages in construction time as they are quickly assembled without requiring setting processes necessary for concrete walls.

Gonzalez & Jacobson Architecture and their Malaga architects always stays up-to-date with technological advancements, innovation, and offering the best solutions in project execution.