THE REHABILITATION OF “LA CASA INVISIBLE” WORKSHOP – CHAPTER 1 in Malaga

The Rehabilitation of “La Casa Invisible” – Chapter 1 Workshop, was an artistic and architectural event in which three thematic workshops were held involving students from the architecture schools of Malaga and Seville (Spain), as well as other social and professional collectives related to the field. Theoretical and practical activities were carried out, including the construction of furniture and a full-scale prototype of structural timber-framed floor. Additionally, restoration work was carried out on wooden carpentry, glass and historic ironwork. 

This workshop contributed to incorporating architecture students in real processes of management and rehabilitation of buildings in a specific social and urban context. This activity was linked to the need to promote revitalisation processes in the historic city centres, both in aspects related to citizen participation and in the implementation of building rehabilitation strategies that encourage the use of traditional materials and construction techniques.

The three workshops, “Activating common senses”, “Preserving structural systems” and “Recovering crafts and traditional techniques”, developed different theoretical and practical contents. The first one addressed the social, ecological, environmental and identity components of the “La Casa Invisible” building, promoting the reuse of existing spaces and their adaptation to new functions. The second one enhanced the structural elements of the building, both the brick load-bearing walls and the wooden slabs and reinforcements. Finally, the third one promoted craft production as a contemporary process to encourage user and resident participation in the maintenance and care of their building.

After the workshop, an exhibition was organised to present the results and the material the participants had worked with, such as furniture, restored carpentry and a 1:1 scale structural wooden floor. This exhibition, which was held at the “La Casa Invisible” building, aimed to disseminate to the general public the concepts developed in the workshop, such as the interaction between theory and practice of social, ecological, and sustainable architecture, as well as the recovery of traditional techniques and knowledge.

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