Aesop's new store in Barcelona is rooted in identity and sustainability. In our search to connect the dots between these concepts, we found a figure that perfectly matched both: the anonymous artisans and unknown artists who preserve tradition and technique throughout generations. In a distinctly local approach, the project reuses KM0 stones from the Montjuïc quarry that have withstood the test of time, aiming to push back against the influence of globalization on the retail sector.
Aesop Diagonal: Past, Present, Future With Aesop Diagonal, we aimed to create a local and sustainable store that reflected the city's essence. We returned to one of the great concepts that guide our work: the Genius Loci, the protective spirit of a place, to design a space that would only be possible in Barcelona.
In a sort of life cycle, the pieces were seen as transitory elements with past lives, coming to land at Aesop's new store. From Montjuïc's quarry, extracted to give shape to the city's buildings, which were later demolished and returned to being just remnants until the project came along, repurposing its use and value. In a radical way, the project also accepts that if the store closes one day, the pieces will be returned to their original owner, the Barbany family, who generously provided them for Aesop's use.
The project is valuable because it demonstrates how forgotten pieces can be recycled and reused in the future. It highlights the value of existing resources and opposes the loss of character in the retail sector due to globalization, which has led to the widespread prevalence of identical spaces worldwide. Text description by the architects.
