An abandoned old construction warehouse is being restored in order to house ‘architectural needs’. RABE while being the workspace for the architecture studio, BEAR in Bilbao, is also a space for discuss about, play with and curate architecture.

RABE is a commitment to the forgotten, an old construction warehouse and small offices that have been abandoned for more than 35 years.

RABE is also a commitment by BEAR, an architecture studio, to create a space for exhibition, debate and enjoyment around architecture around its daily activity.

The project delves into the strong contrast between the two floors.

Emphasizing the rawness of the old warehouse that is now made up of a huge table that cuts it in two, more than 20 meters long in saponated iron, which supported by pedestals, walls and block stairs invites you to get on it, go down and walk around it.

On the upper floor, the preexisting features are intensified based on a reddish base of new carpet that ties the floor and on which the cabinets, screens and wallpaper are restored and enhanced through careful use of color.

RABE was born in September 2023 after its invasion by its new vegetation and will define itself each year according to the use and intensity of its inhabitants.

Model

Facts & Credits
Title RABE
Typology Interior, Workspace
Location Bilbao, Bizkaia
Status Completed, 2023
Architecture BEAR
Principal architect Ane Arce, Iñigo Berasategui
Team Julene Larrea
Photography Luis Díaz Díaz
Text by the author


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