Turning a cement factory into a house and architectural studio / amazing changes based on knowledge and art (+ pictures)
La Fábrica on the outskirts of Barcelona was an abandoned cement factory that Ricardo Bufil turned into his home and architectural office. Get to know the details of this project.
Safir Arjan - In the suburbs of Barcelona, in the Sant Just Desvern area, there is an old factory whose fate was unlike many abandoned industrial structures. A place that was once known for huge silos, heavy machinery and underground tunnels, today has become a home, a workplace and one of the most significant examples of reuse of industrial buildings in contemporary architecture.
This complex, known as "La Fábrica", is the result of Ricardo Bufil, a prominent Spanish architect, looking at the hidden potential of a forgotten building.
Ricardo Bufil; Architecture beyond construction
Ricardo Bofill Levi, born in 1939 in Barcelona, was one of the architects whose works did not fit into a specific style. In 1963, he founded the "Taler de Arquitectura" architecture office; An interdisciplinary collection that followed architecture, urban planning and design together.
Bofil designed projects with different architectural languages during his career; From prominent residential complexes to buildings with impressive geometric forms. He died on January 14, 2022, but his architectural legacy continues to inspire architects and designers.
Among his works, La Fabrica has a special place; Because this project is not only about designing a new building, but about discovering the capabilities of an existing structure and changing its meaning from an industrial space to an environment for life and creativity.
From a cement factory to a project for a new life
The factory that later became La Fábrica was built in the early 1920s. At the time of its operation, this industrial complex had an area of about 31,000 square meters and consisted of nearly 30 silos, a long chimney, about four kilometers of underground tunnels and numerous machinery spaces.
The turning point of this project was in 1973; When Bofill was passing through the western suburbs of Barcelona, he came across a factory that was going to be demolished soon. Instead of seeing a dilapidated and unused complex, he recognized its spatial and architectural capacity and decided to turn it into the headquarters of his architecture office and his place of residence.
This decision was taken at a time when changing the use of industrial structures on such a scale was not yet a common approach. Ultimately, Boufil and his team pursued the project as an opportunity to redefine the relationship between architecture, performance, and life. The main redesign process was carried out between 1973 and 1975.
One of the different features of La Fabrica is the way the architect deals with the existing structure. Bufil did not intend to keep the entire factory intact or to simply add new equipment and turn it into a typical office. He removed part of the old structures to reveal the forms, volumes and spaces that were hidden in the dense body of the factory.
In this process, demolition hammers and even explosives were used to remove parts of the structure. On the other hand, the parts that had more architectural capacity were preserved. Among about 30 initial silos, eight silos remained in the final design and were transformed into usable spaces with internal changes.
This approach created an interesting contrast: a part of the building was removed to better see the spatial identity of the remaining parts. Raw concrete walls, unusual volumes, unexpected staircases and large empty spaces, instead of being considered intrusive elements, became part of the architectural character of the project.
Concrete silos that became architectural offices
Changing the use of silos was one of the most important parts of the project. These cylindrical structures, which were used to store industrial materials in the past, were transformed into multi-story spaces for work and architectural activities by creating new floors and spiral staircases.
In different parts of the complex, spaces were created for setting up the office, maintaining archives, preparing maps and making models. The interior design tried to maintain the industrial characteristics of the building while meeting daily needs. For this reason, raw concrete and heavy forms of the structure were placed next to simpler elements and finer details.
At La Fábrica, the new architecture was not meant to hide the building's past; On the contrary, traces of the previous user are still visible. This coexistence between the industrial past and contemporary life gives the complex a distinct identity.
La Cathedral; The different heart of the old factory
One of the prominent spaces of the collection, "La Catedral" (La Catedral) means the cathedral; A large hall with a significant height that housed part of the factory's production process in the past.
Bofil turned this industrial space into an environment for gathering, presenting projects, exhibitions and architectural meetings. The high height, raw concrete walls and unusual scale of the hall have made the space still maintain its grandeur and industrial atmosphere.
In this section, architectural intervention is relatively limited. Instead of covering the walls or completely changing the appearance of the hall, new elements have been introduced in a controlled manner so that the existing architecture continues to play a central role.
Gardens that blur the border between architecture and nature
The transformation of La Fabrica was not limited to the interior. Bofill also considered a plan for the surrounding area, which led to the creation of a new relationship between concrete and nature.
Trees, creepers and green cover spread around the walls and on parts of the complex. Palms, olives, eucalyptus and other plants, along with rough concrete surfaces, create a different image of an industrial factory.
In this composition, plants are not just decorative elements; Their presence helps soften the appearance of heavy structures and create a sense of tranquility and peace. The result is a space where the remnants of an old factory intermingle with gardens and contemporary living spaces.
La Fabrica; A leading example of adaptive reuse
Today, adaptive reuse is one of the most important approaches in sustainable architecture. In this method, instead of completely demolishing the old buildings and building a new one, the capacities of the existing structure are used and its performance is changed according to the new needs.
La Fabrica is a notable example of this approach; A project that demonstrated the possibility of reusing an abandoned factory decades before today's discussions about the regeneration of industrial buildings became widespread. Preserving parts of the existing structure can help reduce the need for new materials and prevent part of the environmental consequences of demolition and construction; However, the amount of this saving depends on the conditions of each project.
This complex is still related to Bofill architecture office and its space has changed over time to suit the needs of work and life. This continuity of change is part of the main philosophy of the project: architecture is not supposed to remain static after the end of construction, but can continue its life along with human needs.
La Fabrica finally shows that the value of a building does not depend only on its primary function. Sometimes, what at first glance looks like a dilapidated structure ready for destruction, can be transformed into a new environment for life and creativity with the right choice, measured intervention and recognition of spatial capacities.