External Reference creates 3D-printed organic displays for La Manso store
CategoriesInterior Design

External Reference creates 3D-printed organic displays for La Manso store

3D-printed shelving structures informed by Catalan-modernist buildings were used for shelving in this store designed by External Reference for a Spanish jewellery brand.

Experimental jewellery designer Adriana Manso asked Carmelo Zappulla’s studio External Reference to develop a suitably unusual interior concept for her first physical store in the city.

Exterior of La Manso store in BarcelonaExterior of La Manso store in Barcelona
The store is in the Eixample district

The project involved designing a window display and shelving for the 25-square-metre store, which is located in Barcelona’s Eixample district just a few metres from the house where Manso was born.

Manso is known for her playful pieces made from recycled plastic, which she wanted to display in a space that evokes the luxury feel of an haute-couture boutique.

Interior of La MansoInterior of La Manso
It features a 3D-printed interior informed by architecture

External Reference sought to combine the contemporary plasticity of La Manso’s jewellery with motifs influenced by Barcelona’s early 20th-century architecture, including the building in which the store is situated.

“Our design concept revolved around bringing the exterior facade inside, creating a melted and fluid background that would serve as an artistic canvas for showcasing the jewellery,” Zappulla told Dezeen.

“By blending the expressive elements of Catalan modernism with the organic forms inspired by La Manso design, our goal was to craft a visually captivating environment that elevates the overall shopping experience.”

Floral details in Barcelona storeFloral details in Barcelona store
External Reference created wavy shapes for the space

The designers selected fragments from the decorative facade and abstracted them using a process involving hand drawing and computational design techniques.

In particular, floral details from the elaborate canopy at the store’s entrance were reinterpreted as large rosettes incorporating futuristic glitches and bas-reliefs.

The organic shapes form shelving units that range in height from 90 centimetres to 1.7 metres. Jewellery and accessories are displayed on the shelves, as well as on a small table at the centre of the space.

The furniture is made from biodegradable cellulose and was produced with technical support from specialist 3D-printing workshop La Máquina.

Zappulla and his team refined the digital models to optimise them for printing. This involved splitting them into manageable parts that could be processed by the machine’s robotic arm.

Barcelona jewellery storeBarcelona jewellery store
The aim was to provide a neutral backdrop

All of the printed elements are finished in a muted off-white shade that matches the rest of the interior and provides a neutral backdrop for displaying the jewellery.

Large, mirrored surfaces help to make the interior feel more expansive, while spotlights provide targeted illumination for highlighting the collection.

In addition to the main furniture, the designers also developed a window display and 3D-printed signage that extend the store’s conceptual design out into the street.

Shelving at La MansoShelving at La Manso
The La Manso interior has a muted colour palette

Large-scale 3D-printing technology offers designers possibilities to create unique elements for branded interiors, which makes it increasingly popular for retail spaces.

Spanish design studio Nagami has created a store for sustainable clothing brand Ecoalf featuring transparent 3D-printed displays that recall melting glaciers, while Dutch architecture practice Studio RAP used the technology to produce a wave-like tiled facade for an Amsterdam boutique.

The photography is courtesy of External Reference.

Reference

10K House in Barcelona is a “labyrinth that multiplies perspectives”
CategoriesSustainable News

10K House in Barcelona is a “labyrinth that multiplies perspectives”

Spanish studio Takk took cues from snugly stacked Russian dolls for the interior renovation of this Barcelona apartment, which features rooms nestled inside each other to maximise insulation.

Called 10K House, the 50-square-metre apartment was renovated by Takk using a material budget of only 10,000 euros with the aim of updating the home to be as sustainable as possible.

Wood-clad entrance to low-cost Barcelona apartment
10K House is a residential interior design project

The project was informed by concerns about climate change as well as the global energy crisis faced by homeowners and renters.

Arranged across one open level, rooms were built “inside one another” in a formation that mimics the layers of an onion and places the rooms that require the most heat at the centre of the apartment, according to Takk.

Elevated bedroom encased in sheep's wool and MDF
The bedroom is raised on recycled white table legs

“This causes the heat emitted by us, our pets or our appliances to have to go through more walls to reach the outside,” principal architects Mireia Luzárraga and Alejandro Muiño told Dezeen.

“If we place the spaces that need more heat – for example, the room where we sleep – in the centre of the Matryoshka [a Russian doll] we realise that we need to heat it less because the configuration of the house itself helps to maintain the temperature.”

“The result is a kind of labyrinth that multiplies perspectives,” explained the architects, who designed the project for a single client.

MDF walls and raw fixtures within apartment in Barcelona
MDF was used throughout the apartment

Recycled table legs were used to elevate these constructed rooms to allow the free passage of water pipes and electrical fittings without having to create wall grooves, reducing the overall cost.

For example, the raised central bedroom is clad in gridded frames of medium-density fibreboard (MDF) that are enveloped by slabs of local sheep’s wool – utilitarian and inexpensive materials that feature throughout the interior.

“Despite being a small apartment, it is very complex to ensure that you never get bored of the space,” said Luzárraga and Muiño.

Wood-clad steps and walls within 10K House in Barcelona
The remnants of previous partitions were left exposed

After demolishing the apartment’s existing internal layout, Takk chose not to apply costly and carbon-intensive coatings to the floors and walls.

Rather, the architects scrubbed the space clean and left traces of the previous partitions and dismantled light fixtures visible, giving the apartment a raw appearance and maintaining a reminder of the original floor plan.

Low-slung wooden cabinets within the kitchen of apartment with white walls
The kitchen features a metallic sink and low-slung cabinets

The kitchen is located in the most open part of 10K House, which includes timber geometric cabinetry and an exposed metallic sink.

According to the architects, the open kitchen intends to act as a facility “without associated gender” and address stereotypes typically attached to housework.

“Traditionally, the kitchen has been understood as a space to be used mainly by women, whether they own the house or do domestic work,” reflected Luzárraga and Muiño.

“This has meant that [historically] this space has been relegated to secondary areas of the house, poorly lit and poorly ventilated, especially in small homes.”

“One way to combat this is by placing the kitchen in better and open spaces, so that everyone, regardless of their gender, is challenged to take charge of this type of task,” they added.

Boxy rooms created from CNC-milled MDF slabs
10K House was constructed using CNC-milled component

The dwelling was constructed using CNC-milled components that were cut prior to arriving on-site and assembled using standard screws.

Takk chose this method to encourage DIY when building a home, and armed the client with a small instruction manual that allowed them to assemble aspects of the apartment themselves “as if [the apartment] were a piece of furniture”.

Exposed wall and white toilet within 10K House by Takk
Takk was informed by soaring energy prices when designing the project

10K House is based on a previous project by the architecture studio called The Day After House, which features similar “unprejudiced” design principles, according to Luzárraga and Muiño.

The architects – who are also a couple – created a winter-themed bedroom for their young daughter by inserting a self-contained igloo-like structure within their home in Barcelona.

The photography is by José Hevia.

Reference

LAMA studio turns warehouse into vibrant workspace in barcelona
CategoriesArchitecture

LAMA studio turns warehouse into vibrant workspace in barcelona

a look inside ‘CODEA PROJECT’ BY LAMA STUDIO

 

Spanish practice LAMA studio has converted a commercial property and warehouse into a vibrant, multipurpose workspace for Codea Studio, a creative agency based in Barcelona. Covering 355 sqm, the space occupies one highly elongated floor and features a 6-meter-wide front façade that originally kept very little natural light from entering the building. The front area is a commercial space with a height of 4.5 meters, varying widths, with flat slabs and metal beams. At the back is a charming open-plan warehouse with a 5.5-meter-high gable roof constructed using wooden trusses, the most characteristic element of the entire space.

 

To meet the agency’s requirements, the architects focused on two interventions. The first was creating a central core to house service areas (storage, technical rooms, meeting rooms, and lavatories), allowing LAMA studio to retain the entrance and rear warehouse as large open spaces. The central core also functions as a transition area between both spaces. The second intervention focused on building a continuous, linear element that runs the full length of the dividing wall from the entrance to the back of the warehouse; this elements takes on different functionalities according to the needs of each area, with various materials and idioms.

 

Specifically, the plan sees the property distributed into four distinct zones. First, the open-plan space adjacent to the street acts as the point of entry to the premises. Next, we come to the central service area which runs down a long hallway. Then, at the back, we come to the unique warehouse area. This will become the main space where the day-to-day running of the agency happens. Finally, in order to open a new back façade and bring light into the building, the old courtyard at the back of the property was restored and three large openings were made to connect it to the interior,’ writes LAMA studio. 

reconversion of a warehouse into a multi purpose office space in barcelona 9
terracotta-painted courtyard | all images © José Hevia

 

 

mediterranean vernacular meets mexican influences

 

In terms of materials and finishes, the goal was to preserve the original presentation of the different spaces, merely cleaning and painting them in white to create a neutral backdrop against which the renovation stands out. While the office backdrop was kept simple, Codea Studio opted for raw materials and contrasting textures and colors, resulting in a design that reflects a Mediterranean vernacular style coupled with textures and hues of Mexican influence. ‘Rough-finished concrete block with pink tones was chosen to create the main core area and the continuous linear element. This brings personality and robustness to the project while acting as a self-supporting element for constructing the entire perimeter and dividing walls of the core area,’ note the architects.

 

The different extensions appearing in the linear element were built on-site and given a rather rough plaster finish, painted in white, highlighting their handcrafted character. Furthermore, LAMA studio adorned the lavatories, planters, work areas, and other spaces needing special attention with complementary cladding materials like traditional Catalan rasilla bricks and red and green glazed ceramic from La Bisbal. Finally, raw MDF board was incorporated into the renovated warehouse as a more contemporary material with a strong visual accent. ‘It offers smooth surfaces to work with, bringing practicality, as well as elegance, to the project,’ continues the practice.

reconversion of a warehouse into a multi purpose office space in barcelona 1
the service core is built using concrete blocks and tiles, and is detailed using MDF

 

 

a multipurpose and light-filled workspace 

 

The entry area is a foyer and multipurpose room characterized by its spare nature, as it has to be adaptable for many uses. At the back, the start of the service core emerges, built using concrete blocks, tiling, and MDF. On the left, a bench appears as a continuous element that runs through the courtyard and changes functions according to each area. The central core, delimited by the high concrete block walls that establish a strong, solid volumetry, hosts two large passageways that function as a sort of antechamber.

 

The first passage leads to the lavatories, and the second to the storage areas and meeting rooms. In these semi-open foyers, the doors are paneled from floor to ceiling in raw MDF to create maximum contrast with the roughness and color of the blocks. The meeting rooms open onto the main hall through large glass doors, extending the reach of natural light while fostering a visual relationship between the spaces. In the main hall, the varying uses required for the workspace are expressed in the continuous element as it runs along the entire side wall with cupboards, work surfaces, a planter, a bench, and finally, to the kitchen and the patio worktop. Here, too, cement blocks, elements of masonry, and other materials alternate according to the function of each section.

 

The kitchen, located at the back of the former warehouse, consists of different modules, either open or closed, with MDF. The extended cooking area, clad in ceramic tile, extends towards the outdoor courtyard. In the center is a large island with a porcelain worktop holding a work and storage area on one side and a bar with stools on the other. Only minimal treatment was given to the outdoor courtyard. It was cleaned and painted in the same way as the rest of the original architectural elements of the project. Still, the team coated the surfaces using a terracotta-colored paint, contrasting with the interior’s white backdrop.

reconversion of a warehouse into a multi purpose office space in barcelona 3
meeting rooms open onto the main hall through large glass doors that extend the reach of natural light

 

 

Opposite the kitchen is the dining area, where an imposing metal table by Cristian Herrera Dalmau with an MDF top is rooted to the floor. Dalmau also designed a suspended metal zig-zag lamp hung atop the table, boasting a unique iridescent bichromate finish, as well as the Grillo chairs and Poni stools from Branu. In the central area of the hall, tiered levels and a tall planter clad in rasilla bricks separate the work zone from the kitchen and dining areas. In addition to the plants acting as a lattice between the spaces, this element functions as a relaxation area and a platform for presentations and other agency activities.

 

Last but not least, the work area sits in front of large windows fronting the meeting rooms, with two lines of white lacquered metal tables topped with MDF. The suspended lamps, with the same zinc finish as the one in the dining room, were also devised by Cristian Herrera Dalmau.

reconversion of a warehouse into a multi purpose office space in barcelona 4
general view of the main hall

reconversion of a warehouse into a multi purpose office space in barcelona 11
tiered levels and a planter clad in rasilla bricks separate the work zone from the kitchen + dining areas

reconversion of a warehouse into a multi purpose office space in barcelona 7
a continuous linear element runs from the entrance to the back, adopting different functionalities

Reference

Architecture Mood Board: Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona Pavilion
CategoriesArchitecture

Architecture Mood Board: Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona Pavilion

There are few buildings in the world with a more distinctive aesthetic than the Barcelona Pavilion, designed by Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Riech. Originally constructed as the German Pavilion for the Barcelona International Exhibition in 1929, and rebuilt in 1986, this iconic building bears all the characteristics of the Modernist principles that Mies is famed for. The pavilion’s emphatic horizontality, open-plan layout and minimalist detailing are renowned, but the project’s use of materials are arguably its most defining quality.

Sumptuous yet cool, rich yet understated, the pavilion’s material palette celebrates the art of contrast. Monumental slabs of marble work in harmony with slender glass partitions and reflecting pools to create a serene space, worlds away from the hustle and bustle of the nearby city.

Here, we take a closer look at some of those iconic materials, revealing the ingredients behind one of the purest manifestations of Modernist architecture. To the right of each image, you can find a selection of samples inspired by each material — visit Material Bank to start curating your own board.


Travertine (floor and exterior walls)

Left: The Barcelona Pavilion; image by Wojtek Gurak. Right: Materials inspired by the pavilion’s travertine surfaces; samples via Material Bank

The most prominent material used throughout the Pavilion is Roman travertine, a luxurious yet hard-wearing material that anchors the projects. Travertine forms the plinth upon which the building sits, as well as the surrounding walls, which enclose the reflecting pool and provide a sense of separation from the outside world. Its color, a soft, yellowish hue, acts as a perfect backdrop for the bold materials placed throughout the building.

Featured Material Samples


Golden Onyx (interior freestanding wall)

Left: Barcelona Pavilion interior; image by Martin D. Right: Materials inspired by the pavilion’s onyx wall; samples via Material Bank

At the heart of the building is a freestanding wall of golden onyx, sourced from the Atlas Mountains in Northern Africa. The uniquely patterned surface of this slab was revealed by a splitting process called broaching, enabling a symmetrical marbled pattern to be displayed across the wall’s entire expanse. In terms of color, amber hues transition into oranges and deep reds, providing a rich and complex finish that forms a focal point within the building’s interior. Interestingly, Carsten Krohn, author of Mies Van Der Rohe: The Built Work, states that “the honey-yellow onyx wall of the original is much redder in the modern reconstruction.”

Featured Material Samples


Green Marble (walls)

Left: Barcelona Pavilion exterior; image by Steven Zucker. Right: Materials inspired by the pavilion’s green marble walls; samples via Material Bank

Two types of marble with a green hue can be found in the Barcelona Pavilion: Polished green Tinian marble and “vert antique” marble, quarried in the French Alps. The hues of these walls range from deep green to gray-blue, contrasting with the lighter shades of travertine below and the pure white plane of the ceiling above.

Featured Material Samples


Glass (walls)

Left: Barcelona Pavilion glazing; image by Kent Wang. Right: Materials inspired by the pavilion’s glazing; samples via Material Bank

Mies employed a variety of glass materials throughout the pavilion, controlling the level of transparency, varying the sense of enclosure and framing specific views. According to Krohn, “an entire repertoire of materials have been employed: in addition to transparent glass, the building makes use of green and gray glass, frosted glass as well as black opaque glass for the table tops.” Together with the marble partitions, the glass panels of Mies’ pavilion challenge the conventional function of walls — rather than enclosing space, they act as devices to guide people through the building, channeling their path and blurring the boundaries between inside and out.

Featured Material Samples


Stainless Steel (loading-bearing columns)

Left: Barcelona Pavilion interior; image by Rory Hyde. Right: Materials inspired by the stainless steel columns; samples via Material Bank

Key to Mies van der Rohe’s design was a set of eight polished steel columns that support the roof. As Krohn explains, “the columns form a structural unit that represents a separate architectonic element independent of the non-loadbearing partitioning walls.” Their cruciform shape provides the necessary structural rigidity, while their polished finish reflects light and flashes of color from the surrounding marble. It also echoes the reflective quality of the pools on the exterior or the building.

Featured Material Samples


Black Glass (reflecting pool)

Left: Barcelona Pavilion exterior; image by Steven Zucker. Right: Materials inspired by the black glass of the reflecting pool; samples via Material Bank

Black glass was used to line the smaller of the two pools within the Barcelona pavilion, designed to heighten the reflective quality of the water and dramatize the solitary ornament within the building: a bronze reproduction of Georg Kolbe’s sculptural figure, entitled “Dawn”. Both the sculpture and the patterned marble walls behind it are perfectly reflected in the water, their curves contrasting with the perfectly straight lines that define the space.

Featured Material Samples


Ivory Leather (Barcelona Chairs)

Left: Interior featuring the Barcelona Chair; image by Yuichi. Right: Materials inspired by the Barcelona Chair; samples via Material Bank

Designed by Mies van der Rohe himself, the Barcelona Chair is an icon of modern design, to such an extent that faithful reproductions are still produced and sold today. The structure of the chair is polished stainless steel, echoing the cruciform columns of the pavilion. The back and cantilevered seat are upholstered with off-white kid leather, with welt and button details. MoMA sums it up best: “The Barcelona Chair achieves the serenity of line and the refinement of proportions and materials characteristic of Mies van der Rohe’s highly disciplined architecture.”

Featured Material Samples


Inspired by Mies? We invite you to create your own material mood boards using iconic architecture as your muse! Share your creations with editorial@architizer.com and we’ll publish a selection of the best on Architizer.

Top image: The Barcelona Pavilion via Wikimedia

Reference