Roca

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Project type Entertainment Venue
Location Barcelona, Spain
Architects Josep Lluís Sert, renovation coordinated by Jaume Freixa
Roca Products Tura wall-hung asymmetric left-hand basin,Tura wall-hung basin, L20 electronic basin faucet, Access wall-hung basin, Ona-E electronic soap or hand sanitizer dispenser, Victoria Pro wall-mounted shower mixer, Handle for people with reduced mobility, Tura wall-hung Roca Rimless®. WC, Access wall-hung Roca Rimless® WC, PL10-E One vandal-proof dual flush plate, Terran-N Stonex®. Superslim rectangular shower tray, Duplo WC One built-in structure with dual flush cistern for wall-hung WC, Tura soft-closing seat and cover for toilet, Access WC seat and cover with reinforced hinges, Access Comfort tilting mirror, Public hand dryer with sensor, Access Comfort folding grab bar, Superinox robe hook, Public wall-mounted towel dispenser, Public wall-mounted industrial paper dispenser, Public waste bin 6 liters, Access folding shower seat, Access Comfort 135° angled grab bar, Access drain unit with external overflow and built-in waste pipe, Luna mirror
 
Perched on Barcelona’s Montjuïc hill, the Joan Miró Foundation is an architectural masterpiece and one of the city’s most emblematic cultural buildings. Designed in 1975 by Josep Lluís Sert – a close friend of Joan Miró and a leading figure in modern architecture – the museum is as much a tribute to the artist’s creative and playful spirit as it is to the Mediterranean light and landscape.

Born of Mediterranean light and modernist ideals

The building began with a simple sketch, in which Sert imagined a museum open to the sky – an architecture of courtyards and terraces that embraced Barcelona’s light and climate. Its complexity unfolds through the repetition and modulation of simple geometric volumes, guided by Le Corbusier’s Modulor system of harmonious proportions.

Constructed of white concrete and artificial stone with a marble grain, the structure conveys a sense of monolithic simplicity. Its restrained palette – whitewashed and luminous – reflects a Mediterranean identity and contrasts gently with the surrounding greenery of Montjuïc.

Light plays a key role in the design of this building. Skylights and light-catching volumes, inspired by Sert’s earlier work, filter light into the space in subtle, indirect ways. These elements bring the architecture to life, softening the surfaces and allowing the artwork to shine.

A museum designed to evolve with its collection

From the outset, the Joan Miró Foundation was conceived with the artworks in mind. This sensitivity to the art also had to contend with the museum’s early and overwhelming success. With over 100,000 visitors a year during Sert’s lifetime, the original building was soon faced with the challenges of scale. By the late 1980s, an expansion had become essential – not only to relieve pressure on the permanent collection but also to provide space for temporary exhibitions and expanded services.

Jaume Freixa, Sert’s collaborator and a key figure in preserving the building’s legacy, led the first extension. Rather than disrupt the original architectural language, he chose to work in continuity, replicating Sert’s system of additive volumes and courtyards to maintain the dialogue between architecture and landscape. This approach allowed the museum to grow organically, respecting the original clarity and rhythm of the building.

A second extension followed in 2000, this time prompted by the generous long-term loan of more than 30 works from the Japanese collector Kazumasa Katsuta. Once again, Freixa’s interventions reflected a deep understanding of the building as a living organism. “I obeyed the building,” said Freixa, describing his approach of allowing the original architecture to guide the museum’s evolution.

Roca’s tribute to Sert

The latest renovation of the Joan Miró Foundation, which coincides with the building’s 50th anniversary, honours both the legacy of Josep Lluís Sert and the evolving needs of its visitors. At the heart of this update is the redesign of the museum’s bathrooms, featuring Roca’s Tura collection, designed by Andreu Carulla and inspired by the building itself.

The history of the museum’s bathrooms is closely linked to its growth. Originally absent from Sert’s original plan, a central core of toilets was added in 1988 to accommodate the museum’s growing role as a cultural destination and public service point on the Montjuïc hillside. The most recent renovation reflects not only a desire to modernise, but also a new approach to accessibility and inclusivity, introducing a gender-neutral cabin system in line with the institution’s progressive direction.

Within this functional transformation, Roca’s Tura collection brings a poetic continuity to the space. Tura’s soft curves and refined simplicity echo Sert’s architectural language, creating a natural synergy between the space and its interior elements. Just as the museum was designed to enhance the experience of art, the Tura collection enhances the experience of the visitor through forms that are both contemporary and quietly connected to their surroundings.

Sert’s restrained palette of materials sought to frame the art without competing with it. Similarly, the Tura collection embraces this ethos of subtle elegance, establishing a quiet dialogue with the architectural rhythm of the museum, combining utility with grace.

This renovation is more than a technical update – it’s an architectural gesture. A reaffirmation of Sert’s vision, adapted to today’s needs. In these renewed spaces, even the most utilitarian corners of the building are treated with care, ensuring that every experience within the museum – whether viewing a painting or washing one’s hands – reflects the same harmony of thought, form and purpose.