about xavier corbero
January 25, 2023
One of the research courses brought me back to my unfinished draft about The House of Xavier Corbero, in terms of the multidisciplinary sculptural, architectural and philosophical ground.
The House of Xavier Corbero, a residence apartment specially for artists. Some have their tendency at six month, and some do six years. The architect and sculptor - Xavier Corbero believe that the words come from mouth are subconscious and invisible limitations of potentials. Instead of speaking and chatting about art all the time, there are much more important things in life, like the weather, food, health condition and sleeping quality. If you’re struggling and getting lost in your way, finding somewhere to completely focus on yourself and your work, House of Xavier Corbero may be one of the best artist residence that you could ever come with.
The House of Xavier Corbero nestles in the suburb of Esplugues de Llobregat in Barcelona, which was the ancient address of underground cave during Roman Empire. Xavier Corbero was the most well- known Catalan architect and artist after Antoni Gaudi I Cornet. The traditional art and language of Catanlan was once being abandoned in the 18th century and being disappeared as a political entity. Fortunately, the social reality was able to be recovered in its renaissance era over the 19th century due to emerging interest from the Bourgeoisie. There was a child who wore red socks and survived in bomb shelter from war fire, who spent the rest of his life in collating aesthetic, ethic and divine as the ensenazas; the surreal maze with over 38750 square feet, 9 interconnecting building with niche and hidden corner, over 300 archways that connects 12 gardens, as well as studio, living room, 10 bedrooms and bathrooms.
Corbero revealed that he preferred to stay at the basement, that the residents are finding themselves not the owner of the house that they are paying for. Most of the people meet during dinner, they talk about everything but art. He believe that art is not to be explained or discussed, he don’t see the necessity to talk to someone else for their own work.
Life is all about growing up, to a certain level that we are able to be self-sufficient.
Before that, all they need is time and the self that they lost, and which they can all discover at the House of Xavier Corbero, as well as the willingness and kindness to help each other within the residence.
Gardenia scent fills along layered concrete archway in exterior structure. Ripple restore the surface of the pond with the regular bell from nearby church. Brutalised sculptures are having dialogues in the front garden. Pull the front door and close it up, walk up a few steps and go down again, there are hidden doors, moving walls and staircases to nowhere. Literally, there is no destination in eyesight, which also reminisced the work of surrealist Escher and his friend Salvador Dali.
There are no luxurious interior design or enormous scale, yet it is more about the unique and non- logical collections of designer furniture. To name a few, the curvy and playful Biedermeier style wooden furniture, Gaudi chairs, personal relics and memorabilia sculptures from Corbero.
Corbero revealed when you find your way, space is no longer bounded by materia, in which imagination is side your mind will be the desired space.
To some extend, it is a kind of Buddhism and Wabi Sabi that small and simple space inspires way more creativity and focused attention than that of a normal apartment with uncountable electromagnetic waves.
The hexagonal courtyard, The Tower is constructed with natural light, glass and arched concrete and surrounded with hanging plant, as well as his personal lifetime collections. When sunbeams direct to the bottom, the basement shines like a kaleidoscope.; which looks like the six surrounding circles of the symbol - flower of life and synchronise with his belief “life is the start of everything”. The lantern of the centre of infinite archways shows the way as a lighthouse of the ocean and the way of living. Looking from the basement to the top ceiling, it was somehow the same with the insect-shaped courtyard right before the exit of Casa Mila, the language of Barcelona artists.
There is is no boundary in architecture or sculpturing.
It is just the line that people drew according to civilisation and socialisation. To Corbero, one of the happiest things is the continuous dialogue between the human-like sculptures. There are numerous commercial foundations in the society, yet fresh graduates are still feeling lost.
More than a residence, studio, house or rental flat, the ensenazas is a space that born by the demand of wellness and mindfulness, a place that is compatible for every flaws, the space that allows sensory flow and self conversations without external disturbance. The ensenazas reminds me of the purity of Junya Ishigami, the random-like investigation through prototyping - KAIT workshop with the perplexing yet permeable column, as well as the seemingly opposite crystalline KAIT plaza.
Xavier Corbero completed his journey 7 years ago, the House remains a witness of potentials between architecture and art.
The dream of futurism and surrealism; the nothingness in meditation; the labyrinth that hides Minotaur; the place that release everything and focus on oneself; In which, the door of exploring life always open.
Photo credit and reference to book Ryue Nishizawa: Dialogues; Carl Hansen & Son - A seamless visual coexistence with Corbero by Open House Magazine, More Than a House: A morning with Xavier Corbero by Open House Magazine, Spain’s Best Living Sculptor, Architect & Dreamer by Viki Psihoyos, book House of Xavier Corbero published by apartamento