Old Cement Factory Turned Into Home May Look Great From Outside, But The Interior Is Even Better
Architect Ricardo Bofill found this cement factory in 1973 and quickly realized its possibilities. It took him nearly 45 years to transform it into his home, but the end result looks breathtaking both from the outside and from the inside.
Shortly after purchasing the complex, Ricardo’s team began working on it. “Keeping our eyes moving like a kaleidoscope,” Ricardo says “We already imagined future spaces and found out that the different visual and aesthetics trends that had developed since World War I coexisted here:
1) Surrealism in paradoxical stairs that lead to nowhere; the absurdity of certain elements hanging over voids; huge but useless spaces of weird proportions, but magical because of their tension and disproportion;
2) Abstraction in the pure volumes, which revealed themselves at times broken and raw;
3)Brutalism in the abrupt treatment and sculptural qualities of the materials.”
La fábrica proves that form and function have to be dissociated; in this case, the function did not create the form. Instead, it has been shown that any space can be allocated whatever use the architect chooses (if he’s skillful enough)! Bofill currently lives and works here: “Life goes on here in a continuous sequence, with very little difference between work and leisure.”
More info: ricardobofill.com (h/t)
In 1973, Spanish architect Ricardo Bofill purchased a WWI-era cement factory near Barcelona
He immediately began renovating it into his home
After years of partial deconstruction, his team started to furnish the interior as a modern living space
The exterior was fitted with vegetation, and now overflows with lush greenery
The structure has been completely transformed into a breathtaking and unique home
“The Cement Factory is a place of work par excellence” Bofill says
Every room is designed with its own special purpose, and no two look quite alike
“I have the impression of living <…> in a closed universe which protects me from the outside and everyday life”
“Life goes on here in a continuous sequence, with very little difference between work and leisure”
A variety of indoor and outdoor relaxation spots can be found throughout the entire property
Workspace is also a crucial component here because Bofill’s team uses part of La fábrica as a studio
The exterior is mostly covered by grass, but eucalyptus, palm, and olive trees also grow there
This gives the building a “mysterious aspect of romantic ruin that makes it unique and unrepeatable”
“The kitchen-dining room located in the ground floor is the meeting point for the family”
Despite its stunning transformation, the factory is a work in progress to this day
The project is constantly evolving, fitting Bufill’s lifestyle and creative visions
La fábrica will always have some work to be done, and that is part of its symbolic charm
With enough creative thinking, any building can become something new and beautiful
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