A young architect was taking a walk through the Barcelona countryside when he stumbled across a sight that blew him away. Right there in front of him was an abandoned factory that had been unused for years. It was run-down and anyone else would have dismissed the building but not this young architect. He saw a great potential in the building and the way he restored it will take your breath away.
20. Ricardo Bofill
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Ricardo Bofill was born on December 5, 1939 in Barcelona, Spain to a family of builders. With his background knowledge with buildings, Bofill quickly became interested in architecture. The young man was so talented that he completed his first design when he was only 17.
19. Continued Studies
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With a love for architecture and design, Bofill went on to attend the Barcelona School of Architecture. In 1958 he felt Spain to go to Geneva, Switzerland to finish studying at the Université de Beaux-Arts Genève. He then started his own architecture firm by the time he was 23.
18. Big Dreams
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Bofill had a very specific dream that he intended to accomplish through his architecture firm, Ricardo Bofill Taller de Arquitectura. He wanted to recreate traditional Catalan architecture and aimed to do so through the use of engineers, philosophers, and other architects that all shared his vision. Bofill also had humanitarian goals and hoped to accomplish them through his work as well.
17. Cement Factory
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Then one day, Bofill found himself wandering around through the Spanish countryside. He was walking around aimlessly when he stumbled across and old abandoned cement factory that had been unused for years. The discovery of this building would change his life forever…
16. Webpage Explanation
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On Bofill’s website is an entire explanation of the factory and what its purpose had been. According to the page, it had been built during Catalonia’s first period of industrialization, somewhere around the later part of the 19th century. The building was used for the production of goods and the interior of the building looked the part.
15. Abandoned
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Although the building was greatly utilized during the greater part of Spanish import/export production, eventually the building began to lose its purpose. It was no longer utilized and was left alone, with no one to perform maintenance on it. The building began to fall apart…
14. Unique Design
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Since the building was created to be a factory, its interior design was incredibly unique. Bofill was immediately drawn to the design of the building and thought that he could use the original architecture to create something even better. The industrial charm of the building was exactly was Bofill adored and so he set out on a huge project…
13. Purchase
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After looking through the building, Bofill knew he had to own it. So in 1973, he purchased the WWI-era factory and began to focus on how he could rebuild it in the perfect way. He was aware of the potential but he never expected how much the redesign would impact everyone.
12. Raw Surfaces
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The raw surfaces of the building were one of the things that Bofill loved the most. He knew he had to keep the original design in that aspect and so he used the raw materials of the factory in his redesign. To this day, almost four decades later, the redesigned factory still brings in visitors from around the world for a jaw-dropping view.
11. Deconstruction
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First and foremost, Bofill knew he would not be demolishing the building for the original was too beautiful to destroy. Instead he did a lot of deconstruction to the exterior and interior, working hard to preserve as much of the factory as possible while still putting in his own touch.
10. 18 Months
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The entire reconstruction of the factory took Bofill and his workers around 18 months to complete. They began to work around the original construction and added a personal touch to all of the details to turn it into an actual home. Once the exterior was done it was time to move to the interior…
9. Beautiful Design
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The exterior of the home is overflown with beautiful greenery. There is grass covering much of the building but also eucalyptus, palm, and olive trees. Bofill was quoted saying this gives the building a, “mysterious aspect of romantic ruin that makes it unique and unrepeatable.”
8. Interior
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The interior of the home, which is now called La fábrica, has an intent and purpose to each room. The factory has turned into a home filled with offices, laboratories, libraries, dining rooms, and relaxation spots. Just check out one of the most beautiful spots.
7. Relaxation Spots
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“I have the impression of living… in a closed universe which protects me from the outside and everyday life” Bofill wrote. “Life goes on here in a continuous sequence, with very little difference between work and leisure.” Just check out this beautiful leisure room pictured above – spots like this one can be found all throughout the house.
6. Dining Room
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Another masterpiece of a room is the dining room area. “The kitchen-dining room located in the ground floor is the meeting point for the family,” Bofill explained in his writing. Spanish architect Oscar Tusquets designed a stunning double-sided fireplace in the kitchen area to add a cozy touch.
5. The Offices
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Not only is the factory a home for Bofill, it is also where he gets much of his work accomplished. Bofill’s team uses the office spaces to do their work and continue brainstorming ideas. The open space is meant to encourage teamwork amongst his employees.
4. His Refuge
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To this day, Bofill uses La fábrica as his way to escape from the pressures of every day life. “Presently I live and work here better than anywhere else,” Bofill wrote on his website. “I have the impression of living in a precinct.”
3. Not Finished
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Despite having worked on it for so many years, La fábrica is far from being a completed project. In fact, there is still new work constantly going into the building. Bofill has stated that the building continues to evolve in the same manner that he does.
2. Proud
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“The Cement Factory is a place of work par excellence” Bofill wrote, proudly, on his site. To this day, there are dozens of social media posts about La fábrica, with users commenting on the beauty of both the exterior and interior of the factory. The building continues to ‘wow’ everyone from around the world with its unique charm and beauty.
1. Inspiration
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The Cement Factory continues to be a testament of how true creativity and original thinking can change up any space. Through his visionary outlook, Bofill was able to create a beautiful architectural masterpiece that people throughout the world instantly recognize.