La Muralla Roja – Ricardo Bofill Taller de Arquitectura (2024)

Within the context of La Manzanera, La Muralla Roja (The Red Wall) asks to be considered as a case apart. It embodies a clear reference to the popular architecture of the Arab Mediterranean, in particular to the adobe towers of North Africa. The Red Wall is like a fortress which marks a vertical silhouette following the contour lines of the rocky cliff.

With this building, RBTA wanted to break the post-Renaissance division between public and private spaces reinterpreting the Mediterranean tradition of the Kasbah. The labyrinth of this recreated Kasbah corresponds to a precise geometric plan based on the typology of the Greek cross with arms 5 meters long, these being grouped in different ways, with service towers (kitchens and bathrooms) at their point of intersection. The geometric basis of the layout is also an approximation to the theories of constructivism, and makes La Muralla Roja a very clear evocation of these.

The forms of the building, evoking a constructivist aesthetic, create an ensemble of interconnected patios which provide access to the 50 apartments, which include 60 sqm studios, and two and three-bedroom apartments of 80 and 120 sqm, respectively. On the roof terraces there are solariums, a swimming pool, and a sauna for resident’s use.

The criterion of applying to the building a gamut of various colours responds to the intention to give a determined relief to the distinct architectural elements, according to their structural functions.

The outside surfaces are painted in various tones of red, to accentuate the contrast with the landscape; patios an stairs, however, area treated with blue tones, such as sky-blue, indigo, violet, to produce a stronger or weaker contrast with the sky or, on the contrary, an optical effect of blending in with it. The intensity of the colours is also related to the light and shows how the combination of these elements can help create a greater illusion of space.

With this building, RBTA wanted to break the post-Renaissance division...

With this building, RBTA wanted to break the post-Renaissance division between public and private spaces by reinterpreting the Mediterranean tradition of the kasbah. The labyrinth of this recreated kasbah corresponds to a precise geometric plan based on the typology of the Greek cross, with arms 5m long—these being grouped in different ways, with service towers at their point of intersection. The geometric basis of the layout is also an approximation of constructivist theories, and makes the Muralla Roja a very clear evocation of such ideas.

The building’s shapes evoke a constructivist aesthetic and create an ensemble of interconnected patios providing access to the 50 apartments, which include 60m² studios and two- and three-bedroom apartments of 80m² and 120m², respectively. On the roof terraces there are solariums, a swimming pool, and a sauna for the use of residents.

The decision to paint the buildings in a gamut of colours was about giving each architectural element a clear outline, according to its structural functions. The striking colours of the outer and inner façades were selected to either contrast with nature or complement its purity. Various tones of red paint cover the exterior façade, accentuating the way it contrasts with the landscape. Stairs and circulation surfaces, on the other hand, are treated with different tones of blue, ranging from sky blue to indigo and even violet, depending on whether they’re contrasting with the sky or creating a visual continuity with it.

Shaped like a fortress, the project seems to emerge from the rocky cliffs it sits on. Its organisation challenges the increasing division between public and private space through its reinterpretation of the kasbah, the walled citadel typical of traditional architecture in North African countries. Characterised by a series of interlocking stairs, platforms, and bridges, this organisation is a modern illustration of the circulation in a typical kasbah, providing access to the apartments that form the Muralla Roja.

gestalten.com