The Labyrinth Home of Xavier Corberó | Spain

[Xavier Corberó]

Situated in the suburb of Esplugues de Llobregat, in Barcelona, Spain is the estate of Spanish artist and sculptor Xavier Corberó. Spanning 32 square kilometers, the site on which it is located comprises numerous caves and underground Esplugues once used by the Romans, and previously accommodated hovels during the 17th century.

Here, Corberó has spent half of his life constructing a labyrinth-like house, a creation spanning 5,000 square meters and including space for living, a home office, and an art studio all concealed by concrete archways giving it a surreal, maze-like ambiance.

The building itself is centered around a six-story glass and concrete atrium – the glass allowing the light to filter through to its center and cast playful, kaleidoscopic shadows through the arced concrete framework that makes up its interior. The uppermost levels of the atrium walls house dangling plants, which also aid in the cooling of the air during hot Iberian summers.

Hidden doors, moving walls, and staircases leading nowhere keep the visitor wondering about where they’ll end up, but the intention of Corbreró was never to create something that stems from reason, but, however, to create something that comes from “life itself”.