Many architectural projects really turn into a labour of love, sometimes taking several years to complete. This is particularly true when it comes to designing your own home. At Coffey Architects we understand this all too well; that is what makes us one of the best choices for an architect in London. We give each project as much time as it needs to come to life.

Ricardo Bofill is responsible for one of the most incredible architectural projects that can safely be classified as a labour of love. The architect came across an abandoned cement factory outside of Barcelona in 1973. The First World War era property was unused but had a huge amount of potential. The decision was made to redevelop it, creating living and work spaces.

The structure was surveyed in detail before any work on the site began. During this the sheer scale of the site was revealed, including around four kilometres of underground tunnels, enormous silos still filled with concrete, and the iconic smokestack. Surprisingly the machine rooms were in good shape.

To redevelop the property a great deal of demolition and construction was required. This took over a year and a half to complete. Great precision was required on the whole job, ensuring that spaces were effectively reclaimed and revealing hidden forms. Many of these still appear in the finished work, preserving the industrial heritage of the site.

The work on the cement factory has progressed a long way over the last forty plus years but it is still not finished. It is likely that the property, now lovingly referred to as La Fabrica, will be a work in progress for many more years ahead.

It is interesting to look at the before and after images of the property. The thing you will notice is that there is a huge amount of greenery growing on and around it now. This makes it look like the structure is being reclaimed by nature and the lush gardens are a fantastic juxtaposition with the concrete.

The project is incredible and we urge you to have a look at it. With so many projects going on across London and the wider UK involving the conversion of former industrial properties, this really does showcase what can be achieved