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La Fabrica Cement Factory Home by Ricardo BofillWhen Spanish architect <a href="http://www.ricardobofill.com/" target="_blank">Ricardo Bofill</a> stumbled upon an abandoned cement factory in 1973, he saw opportunity in the ruins. Bofill bought the early twentieth-century compound and, together with local Catalan craftsmen, transformed the sprawling structure of <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/silo" target="_blank">silos</a> and compounds into an incredible fairytale home that blends surrealism, brutalism, and modernism. Located in Catalonia, Spain, the renovation is remarkable - not only for its stunning appearance, but also for the architect’s ongoing ambition to make the concrete fortress into a surprisingly livable home and studio.1
La Fabrica Cement Factory Home by Ricardo BofillA true labor of love, the Cement Factory home is over forty years in the making and is constantly evolving with no foreseeable end in sight.2
La Fabrica Cement Factory Home by Ricardo Bofillhe basic <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/adaptive-reuse" target="_blank">overhaul</a>, which included partial destruction with dynamite and jack hammers, took a little over a year to make the complex livable.3
La Fabrica Cement Factory Home by Ricardo BofillTo soften the harsh concrete facade, the grounds were generously replanted and climbing vines were introduced on the walls.4
La Fabrica Cement Factory Home by Ricardo BofillThe renovated complex is more than just Bofill’s dream home—it also contains a <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/live-work-space/" target="_blank">workspace</a> for his architecture firm, a conference and exhibition room, a model workshop, gardens, and archive rooms.5
La Fabrica Cement Factory Home by Ricardo BofillThe existing structures largely influenced the design of the interior and the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/industrial-architecture" target="_blank">industrial</a> feel was retained wherever possible.6
La Fabrica Cement Factory Home by Ricardo BofillThe rooms are flooded with <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/natural-light/" target="_blank">natural light</a> from the tall ceilings and large windows, while the silos serve as giant works of sculpture.7
La Fabrica Cement Factory Home by Ricardo Bofill“The factory is a magic place which strange atmosphere is difficult to be perceived by a profane eye.8
La Fabrica Cement Factory Home by Ricardo Bofill"I like the life to be perfectly programmed here, ritualised, in total contrast with my turbulent nomad life,” said Bofill. His firm says the project “will always remain an unfinished work.”9
La Fabrica Cement Factory Home by Ricardo BofillWhile the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/?s=Concrete" target="_blank">raw concrete</a> walls and slightly oxidized surfaces were preserved, the complex of silos and industrial structures have come a long way from its cement factory past.10
La Fabrica Cement Factory Home by Ricardo BofillIn addition to its unexpectedly lush exterior, the interior features surprising and skillful combinations of warm tones, textures, and contemporary elements against the industrial backdrop.11
La Fabrica Cement Factory Home by Ricardo BofillEvery room is treated like a work of art, with carefully selected furnishings that allude to the site’s history.12
La Fabrica Cement Factory Home by Ricardo Bofill“I have the impression of living in a precinct, in a closed universe which protects me from the outside and everyday life,” said Bofill.13
La Fabrica Cement Factory Home by Ricardo Bofill“The Cement Factory is a place of work par excellence. Life goes on here in a continuous sequence, with very little difference between work and leisure.”14
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