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(1) The Cathedral (2) Staircase in the silos (3) Gabor Well rounded Somssich in discussion Within the concrete with a colleague silos is a spiral (4) CEO Pablo Bofill staircase that leads (5) Thonet chair in to offices. the silo offices “What’s really important is there are no cubicles and meetings take place in the centre of the office, where everyone can hear and participate” 2 into the cement and I felt like a sculptor in front of a material in its primitive state. It was very exciting.” But it took a lot of work and a year and a half of dust and detonations. “It’s now hard to imagine but when we arrived in 1973 there was nothing here but the High and mighty factory,” says Serena Vergano, Bofill’s Industrial interiors publications manager. make up this vast concrete hall, referred to as Cosy workspaces the Cathedral. All-inclusive 1 Stepping outside into a tiled courtyard On the aptly named Avenida Industria on the soaring ceilings of a room they call that separates the Cathedral from the the western outskirts of Barcelona sits a hq audit/spain the Cathedral. This immense concrete silos, Vergano explains that much of the craggy concrete relic of Catalonia’s indus- space, a former factory hall, is the heart factory’s original structure was blown trial past. But this ruin, peeking out from of the architecture firm; a long wooden up to make room for the gardens and to behind lush foliage, quickly reveals itself Worship conference table, project mock-ups and hollow out the silos, which were full of to be a study in reinvention. Nestled deep a grand piano (untuned) line the space. concrete. These circular spaces have been within groups of concrete silos and the The interiors remain unapologetically repurposed into several floors of snug 3 cavernous space of a former cement fac- worthy industrial, with Bofill even retaining some whitewashed offices, illuminated by slen- tory is La Fabrica. It’s home to renowned of the cement factory’s old machinery as der gothic-style windows. post-modernist architect Ricardo Bofill’s When architect Ricardo a reminder of Catalonia’s heritage. “The Today some 60 architects and design- studio and his extensive archive, as well Bofill discovered a vast, beginning of the 20th century was a suc- ers work here, handling international as several apartments used by friends and disused cement factory, cessful time for my country’s industri- projects such as a university campus in family and the architect’s own home. alisation,” he says. “So keeping this type Morocco, housing in Tbilisi and a large he transformed it into of building alive is important for our masterplan for an eco-friendly neighbour- Architectural revival his firm’s HQ – an memory – the memory of young people.” hood in Beijing. Bofill now has some 1,000 Industry reborn office of religious Bofill, now 79, discovered the place designs to his name and has built more proportions. by chance while walking around the than 300 projects. Despite his age, he isn’t On the morning that monocle visits, area in the early 1970s and was instantly showing any signs of slowing down. the Ricardo Bofill Taller de Arquitectura By Sonia Zhuravlyova intrigued. “I was fascinated by the possi- To keep things fresh and ideas flow- team is gathering for a meeting under Photography Salva López bilities I saw in these ruins. I had to carve ing, teams are mixed up for each new 4 5 060 — monocle — no120 no120 — monocle — 061 hq audit/ spain “The beginning of the 20th century Office space was a successful time for my country’s Cosy whitewashed offices are opened industrialisation, so keeping this type up with floor-to- of building alive is important for our ceiling windows. memory – the memory of young people” project and architects are encouraged to move around the various parts of the Flying high building throughout the day, whether La Fabrica is made brainstorming in the olive grove, running up of concrete silos and an immense a workshop in the Cathedral or having a factory space. coffee break on the spiralling stairs in the silos. Unlike in most offices there are few private rooms – and that’s on purpose. “What’s really important is that there are no cubicles, and meetings take place in the centre of the office where everyone can hear, participate and know what’s happening,” says senior architect Gabor Somssich, as he stacks architectural plans 4 for Beijing on the desk of his oval office. Design philosophy “It’s never isolating.” Work in progress Great outdoors Despite its tumble-down appearance, Concrete oasis Bofill has carefully shaped La Fabrica, adding concrete parking bays for staff, a The gardens here are just as important 3D printing studio in the silos and post- 5 as the architecture. Fragrant eucalyp- modernist concrete flourishes to the together so well. We are always fixing, tus, palm and olive trees are carefully exteriors. But there are few concessions fixing, fixing,” says Vergano. “But it’s planted, while ivy crawls abundantly up to modern office design here: chairs are worth it.” There’s also the possibility the exposed concrete walls. A picnic table elegant bentwood Thonets, heating the of expanding to fit in more staff. As we provides an inviting spot for architects to cavernous space of the Cathedral is tricky cross the echoing Cathedral and emerge take their lunch break. and there is no canteen to speak of. A few into another garden planted with palms of the architects live nearby and pop home and slender bamboo, she points to a raw- for lunch, while others take turns sharing concrete silo with a gaping hole in its side, a communal table tucked into a basement ready to be transformed into more offices. room or head outside to the sprawling gar- So although the building is ostensibly dens. There is also little space for taking “finished”, it retains the potential of a some time out or having an informal meet- perpetual work in progress. “The build- ing. Somssich concedes that a lounge or a ing is really the synthesis of who we are, 1 social space would be a welcome addition the way we work,” says Bofill’s son Pablo, For reference but – as with everything here – that’s up now ceo of the company (Bofill’s other The Bofill archives to the architect in chief. “This is Bofill’s son, Ricardo, is president). He lights a hold hundreds of oasis. It’s his story, he manages it.” cigarette – unusually, smoking is allowed projects past and present. La Fabrica’s old bones mean that it inside – and leans on a wooden table requires constant maintenance. “The designed by his father. “The fact that it’s cement and the iron: they don’t work a building that looks like it’s always under 6 construction helps to show that our archi- (1) Quick powwow (2) Lunch break in the tecture is not something defined. It has to garden (3) Archive in be under constant evolution.” — (m) the basement (4) Serena Vergano (5) Silo exteriors The verdict (6) Industrial elements blend with Bofill’s The former factory and its evolving shell is architectural additions a calling card for Bofill’s design philosophy: (7) The Cathedral rooted in Catalonia’s industrial past but embodies the constantly searching for ways to reinvent industrial past of itself. That said, the firm could offer a few the building more creature comforts; a cosy canteen would certainly be a welcome addition. 2 3 062 — monocle — no120 7 no120 — monocle — 063.

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