Camper Paseo de Gracia

This Camper shop in Barcelona faces the Plaza Catalonia. In this project, we renewed the space with vaulted ceramic plates which were used as the form-work of floor slabs. This was a revolutionary method of construction developed in Catalonia as previously, floors had been supported by wooden beams. The ground-breaking concept of this Catalan vault was a great inspiration to Gaudi throughout his works.

Here, the Catalan vault functions as the basic unit of the furniture, from shelves, to benches, and counters for the shoes, giving a warm and friendly atmosphere which reflects the culture of Catalonia.

We were interested in the idea of displaying each item separately, with their own space, bringing more attention to the products. For that we thought on a niche system composed by roof tile-like ceramic elements. Both Japan and Spain have a long tradition of the use of this architectural element but crafted in very different ways: roof tiles in Japan are glazed and shiny while those in the Mediterranean are left with the material naked, exposing its texture. This difference was of great interest to us and this project was a good chance to explore on this.

These ceramic elements, creating the niches to display the items, are very elemental in shape. Is by repeating them throughout the space that they create complexity. They become the walls, shelves, the staff counter, the customers’ bench; there is no other presence in the space besides these very simple ceramic elements. It is exciting to us to use such an old traditional material and find new ways to craft it, to shape it, to combine its units creating different architectural elements that can solve the needs of the contemporary life.

Kengo Kuma & Associates: Kengo Kuma and Javier Villar Ruiz
Jaime Fernandez Calvache (PM), Nicola Maniero, Ludovica Cirillo and Kimio Suzuki (visualizations)
Contractor: Norden GSE, S.L.U.
Lighting designer: Viabizzuno
Ceramist: Ceramica Cumella

Client: Camper