MESURA is the team of the new generation of architects challenging the trends and the traditional approach in architecture. During the interview in the beautiful MESURA’s new office, one of the founding partners, Jordi Espinet, explained that MESURA is proud of not being an architectural office with a ¨signiture¨ style. MESURA is pursuing an atemporal design language. The practice puts upfront such values as craftmanship, transparency, emotional side of architecture, purpose, inclusivity, excellence in materials and execution, sustainability, non-conformism. MESURA claims aesthetic is never the main drive, acknowledging that this brings more balanced and matured design decisions managed by five partners, avoiding the design ego. Nevertheless, the projects done by MESURA are always remarkable, inspirational, memorable, and aesthetically pleasing. All their projects are unified by respect to the local craftmanship, materials, culture, and tradition. Communicating the results of theirs work another merit of MESURA.
¨Rather than accepting traditional answers, MESURA wants to ask the right questions.“
Speaking to Julia in charge of the client relationship, you understand that the client-centric approach is not traditional either. Apart from putting the client’s interests upfront, MESURA sticks to community and environmental interests. They are often taking a tolerant position on defending its values and convincing-educating the client. The most exciting part of the job, according to the studio, is the constant learning path.
“As part of our goal to constantly improve as a practice, we use a cycle of measuring and monitoring we have came to know as feedback loops.”
The refurbishment of the local Barcelonetta neighborhood Cheriff Restaurant is a suitable case study to demonstrate how the studio works:
This restaurant is a local neighborhood heritage in a very touristic área of Barcelona. It received fresh fish daily through the doors for generations and is an apparent reference to Miditterenean cuisine.
Benjamin Iborra, founding partner and the creative director of the project, says the new restaurant design is the reinterpretation of the original restaurant – much of the textures like brass, reddish wood typical for maritime interiors were preserved (recycled). The new deep blue hue and the light textiles contribute to the scene.
“Designing a timeless space means looking for simplicity vs artisanry as a tool for authenticity.“
Local artisans from Terraconti were invited to develop a unique terrazzo floor. It is an old artisanal technique to elaborate mineral composite material into something beautiful as a terrazzo floor. Significantly apart from being a central design feature, it serves as the zoning element reflecting the original layout of the restaurant.
Another great sign of the local design and artisan manufacturing is the Gaulino chairs designed by emblematic catalán architect Oscar Tusquets the founder of BD Barcelona Design brand – design furniture editors.
Casa IV is a unique project in taking a fundamental approach in local material construction technique experimentation. The project took a long time and effort to be realized, explained Benjamin Iborra.
Casa IV at the start was a project with an interesting architectural program: to design an ample covered outdoor space for the events and the new rooms. Respectively, this breaks the separation between the indoor and outdoor space. The new construction serves as a division between the existing neutral architecture and the pool.
The sculptural vaulted roof addresses the hot, sunny, and humid climate conditions. Reminding classical catalán architectural tradition of the ¨volta Catalana ceiling¨ ultimately brought to another scale and purpose.
The brick walls serve as a filter and a general leitmotif.
The biggest challenge of the project, according to Benjamin Iborra, was to find the optimal dimension and the installation method of the manual ceramic brick.
The reason for choosing to work with brick is because it provides a constructive response to the proposed wall scheme, provides a comfortable atmosphere for the home, and is one of the traditional construction systems in the area.
The studio invited Arcyde Cerámicas to collaborate on designing the right ceramic piece proportion (400mmx120mmx35mm). MESURA followed closely all stages of the manufacture, as well as installation. The complexity of the building process is the repetition of the same piece in a flamenco tradition. The trick is the vertical line provided by the ends of the wall and the fittings of the carpentry.
The Modernist influence is evident: in the spatial composition based on mighty brick walls that invade the garden, delineating open, flexible, and communicating environments. The section and the layout of the building are influenced by the proportions of Le Corbusier’s Modulor.
MESURA is respecting the tradition and the best architectural practices reinventing them. But above all – local, natural, honest, and durable materials.
Photography: Jose Hevia, Mesura, Pedro Pegenaute, Teddy Iborra Wicksteed
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