Lekuona Fabrika, from bakery to cultural centre

23.07.2021 | Education

The Lekuona Fabrika cultural centre in the Basque town of Rentería (Spain) was not always dedicated to artistic creation. This is an old bakery which, after ceasing to make bread and years of disuse, has been transformed into a centre of reference for cultural creation.

The architect in charge of the project, Jon Muniategiandikoetxea of the Vaumm studio, assures that the identity of the old factory has been maintained at all times. As he explains, 'it is not a question of embalming the building by turning it into something else, but of bringing new life to those original spaces in which the value of the original building resides'.

This is how Lekuona Fabrika preserves its original essence on the outside, while on the inside it has been transformed into a multidisciplinary space that seeks to encourage the creativity of the visitors. Lekuona's philosophy is to provide citizens and professionals with the necessary spaces and resources for cultural creation.

An unusual library

Lekuona Fabrika is much more than a municipal library. Throughout its 3 floors, books are mixed with spaces designed for creation. The mayoress of the municipality, Aizpea Otaegi, explains that the aim of the library is not only to bring readers and books together, but also 'to enable the shared knowledge of the community and the different generations'.

The HAMMOK Lounge Chair in the library of the Lekuona Fabrika centre

It is precisely in this library, far from the traditional canon, where we find the HAMMOK Lounge Chair designed by Burkhard Vogtherr for Sellex, a seat that is also out of the ordinary. Its soft and ergonomic frame provides flexibility and a pleasant rocking effect when sitting.

This design armchair has a 30 mm thick upholstered front, solid wood armrests and a wider shell than other seats in the same family. This makes the HAMMOK Lounge Chair a design seat that is at the same time comfortable and therefore, perfect for furnishing reading areas such as those in a library.

Spaces for performances

Lekuona Fabrika also has several spaces for hosting cultural events. On the one hand, the Sorlekua auditorium is considered the jewel in the building's crown. Located on the ground floor, it has a capacity for more than 7,000 spectators and can be divided into up to 3 spaces per panel, so that it can host several events at the same time.

The second space available for performances is located at the top of the facility, a terrace with a capacity for up to 100 people. As you can see, this facility is full of culture and for Sellex it has been an honour to have been able to be part of the project.