b-ing Architecture
Dirk and the Chocolate Factory
by Anna & Eugeni Bach Architects
For the most part the villages of Catalonia have managed to retain a sense of place, their individual genius loci. Each one consisting of an accumulation of layers of history with the present day simply superimposed over centuries of tradition. Each new generation leaving behind its own particular heritage. Barcelona based architects Anna & Eugeni Bach were offered the opportunity to add another layer to one of these villages with a recent project consisting of the refurbishment of an old chocolate factory in La Bisbal del Ampurdán. Catalonia was in fact an important centre for chocolate making, after cacao was first introduced from South America, initially sold in pharmacies and monasteries before the industrial revolution made it a more affordable commodity.
The following description was provided by the architects who were commissioned by a family to refurbish an old industrial building with a lot of charm into a holiday residence. The skill of the architects resides in knowing what to retain as much as what to add.
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This small warehouse, formerly a chocolate factory, an unusual building type for the area, is situated in the town centre of the picturesque La Bisbal. Accommodated within a block dating from the late nineteenth century defined by two of the main roads forming the old town, which makes it a very unique space.
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View of the ground floor living area with its boveda catalana (Catalan vaults) structure
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The living spaces located on the fisrt floor
Comprising of a three-storey building of masonry construction and stone facade, each floor is open plan employing a different structural technique. The ground floor comprises of metal beams supporting the typical boveda catalana or Catalan vault. The first floor is made up of a main structure of metal beams with a wooden framework which was considered to be very attractive and worth highlighting. The second floor roof structure is constructed of large rough hewn logs supporting a thin slab made of bricks finished with a ceramic tile finish.
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A bedroom located on the first floor with timber ceiling structure
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The second floor is laid out as an independent living space
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The partitions are kept free from the ceiling structure to maintain an open plan feel
The project consisted in refurbishing what was previously an industrial space into a studio and residential space for a family who valued the character of the original building. The architectural project was therefore conceived as a solution to making the most of the generous open plan spaces, while introducing small changes and solutions that provide views of the three different ceilings, despite the new configuration that required the division into smaller spaces.
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The original staircase was maintained, and a new staircase added at the opposite end of the building, which allows for multiple uses and provides a more flexible arrangement of both common spaces and bedrooms. Thanks to this approach the different members of the owner’s family can enjoy a separate part of the house providing both privacy and freedom to come and go as they like.
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Being very well aware of the fantastic Mediterranean climate enjoyed on the Ampurdà, the outdoor spaces are given new prominence, with a small pool at the centre of the courtyard surrounded by the ground floor lounge, the new porch / kitchen / dining room and the first floor terrace. A new outdoor staircase is located on the porch allowing for greater flexibility in how the outdoor spaces are used in the same way as the indoors.
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- Dirk and the Chocolate Factory
- La Bisbal d’Empordà, Girona
- Anna & Eugeni Bach
- www.annaeugenibach.com
- Photos: Eugeni Bach