With already two existing structures in the land, Studio Andrew Trotter designed a courtyard between them, and two staircases on both sides. Also, the existing properties were extended in order to obtain three self-contained houses composed by king-sized beds, bathrooms with showers, kitchens, large and original living rooms and private terraces. On the other side of the land, a 40 square meters pool was created.

Allaround Lab, the studio led by architects Noelia de la Red and Jordi Ribas, delves into the contemporary practice of reconverting old industrial structures into new habitable spaces. Ávila is the name of a project located in Poblenou, in the northeast of Barcelona, a neighborhood that over the last decade is experiencing a vigorous process of transformation and growth, and where many factory buildings have been transformed into cultural facilities and innovative domestic proposals. The new dwelling is designed to take root in the place, and in order to blend with the existing architecture it avoids any kind of superfluous ornament and drives all attention to the past of this old warehouse.

Determined to create a space that reflects the artist’s hand and sensibilities, seven panels hang from the interior structure. In these works, Gates honours his father’s craft as a roofer and uses roofing strategies and torch down, which requires an open flame to heat the material and affix it to the surface. An operating bronze bell, salvaged from St. Laurence, a landmark Catholic Church that once stood in Chicago’s South Side, will stand next to the entrance of the Pavilion.

This revamped dwelling is located in an old fifteen-storey block built in the 50s. The pre-existing space was a heavily compartmentalized flat with 9 “rooms” distributed in only 100m². A fixed hybrid space is not required, but it must have the space-time capacity of changing depending on the needs of its users and the specific contexts, whether this is daily, weekly or for long periods of time.

The office is one of the oldest buildings in the area of Bab Al Bahrain, dating back to 1937, where it served as Customs House for the port of Manama