Cement Factory Home

With enough creative thinking, any room can become something new and beautiful, and the architect Ricardo Bofill has proven this with this residence. La fábrica is a cement factory outside of Barcelona, ​​an environmental pollution machine from the First World War that had been shut down and was doing a lot of repairs when Ricardo Bofill and his team bought it. Today it is a spectacular and unique home with many eye-catching features.

The first step was the calculated demolition of certain elements using jackhammers and dynamite. Bofill’s next step was to begin the planting process and create a series of gardens within the premises, rooftop oases and vegetative nodes that slowly encapsulate the structure over time to blur the line between nature and building. Today the residence is criss-crossed by vegetation and is set in gardens with eucalyptus, palms, olive trees and cypresses.

Each room has its own purpose, and no two look quite alike. A variety of indoor and outdoor relaxation options can be found throughout the property. A work area is also a crucial component here, as the Bofill team uses part of the residence as a studio.

There were eight silos that became offices, a model laboratory, archives, a library, a projection room, and a gigantic space called “The Cathedral” which was used for exhibitions, concerts, and a whole host of cultural functions related to professional activities the architect. The factory is a fortress protected from the world, half hidden in the green, where the ideas of the studio can take shape.