The old cement factory was just outside Barcelona and had been a WWI-era pollution machine rightfully shut down. Though it came with many potential repairs, Bofill’s conviction in its possibilities pushed through. Eventually, Bofill and his team purchased it. He recognised several surprisingly modern elements within the building including surrealism in the stairs that led nowhere and abstraction in the pure volumes, at times revealing themselves broken and raw. “Seduced by the contradictions and the ambiguity of the place, we quickly decided to retain the factory and sculpt it like a work of art.”
After years of partial deconstruction, the architect added a breathtaking touch to the exterior of the property by lacing it with vegetation. He furnished the interior as a modern living and workspace where he now works and lives. La fábrica as it is now known, dates from the early twentieth century, thus giving “the impression of living in the same environment that propelled the Industrial Revolution in Catalonia.” It meets the original desire of Ricardo Bofill to see the property as a place for life and reflection too. La Fábrica represents a part of the architect’s most intimate legacy, as the place where he resides with his family, and a project embodying his lifelong journey to redefine style and space.
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