The Barcelona-based Roca, one of the world’s top producers of bath furnishings and tile, wanted to increase its visibility. So the company approached Carlos Ferrater’s Office of Architecture in Barcelona (OAB) in 2008 to transform a small 1960s office building it occupied into a brand showroom. Although the timing was precarious — right when the financial crisis hit — design architect Borja Ferrater developed a successful stage for Roca’s products and services, thanks to scale, materials, and public allure.
Gutting the structure, the OAB team worked with Spanish glass manufacturer Cricursa to develop an iconic facade made of aquamarine panels that reflect, refract, and deflect light. “In the day it looks solid like a rock, and at night it looks liquid,” says Ferrater of the glass box, which is lit by 4,200 computer-controlled LEDs.
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