Inside job: Building hosts flexible space within

The architects chose to preserve the original façade of La Serrería Belga (the Belgian sawmill) and built a three-storey construction, La Cosa (The Thing), into a space within the old building.

To achieve the flexible construction, the new part of the building is made from lightweight, malleable and durable materials that can be deconstructed easily, enabling the space to be transformed into whatever it is needed for.

The walls, as well as the staircases and beams along the ceiling, can be lit with a range of neon colours, creating a modern Psychedelia feel. The architects have taken advantage of the spaces in the original structure, using blinds and the floor as projection screens and the dividing wall as a digital façade.

See our Symbiotic Architecture microtrend for more on urban architectural adaptations.