The Almazara: Philippe Starck designs the surrealist Osmazara in the heart of Andalusia

This article includes a review of La Almazara, followed by an interview with the French designer and architect Philip Starck.

In the middle of a lush and green farm of olive trees in southern Spain, what appears to be Giant red cube. Oil factoryNor, it is not a mistake, with those capitalist messages, as it is.

It is an oil factory designed by Philip Stark On the outskirts of RondaThe city of Andalusia for its amazing natural scene of slopes. He settled a little more and discovered that it is more than just a functional oil factory: Starck pattern of believersIt is an artwork. Every symbolic centimeter.

Start with it The unilateral giant centuryIn honor of the bullfighting traditions of this part of Spain. On the other side, a walled circle appears. It represents olives, and the spirit of this oil factory. The huge Phoenician eye appears from a third wall to think The 26th farm produced by 60,000 liters of olive oil annually.

How is the oil factory

When entering, instead of a good view, everything is depression. The intention is for visitors to pay attention to everything inside. Thus, we have Bull This, this is a tribute to the culture of southern Spain, although Starck is an animal rights defender.

Visitors can also enjoy what has been announced as the only museum in the dedicated world olive oil. Did you know, for example, that the classic Citroën DS is amazing with “green gold” instead of traditional oil? Or what The British oil imported olive oil when they manufactured a bad Atlantic Titanic in 1912To satisfy the refined tastes of their passengers on their fateful first journey?

While we were walking, a group of visitors reach Marvel in architecture and also absorbing a history olive oil. Even if it is surprising, due to its importance in the kitchen of most of the world, It represents only 1.28 % of all edible oil productionPalm oil represents 32.28 %, followed by soybean oil (22.37 %) and canola oil (11.14 %).

The size of the place is remarkable. this DesignedThe largest region in Spain. Inside the main building there is another huge century and a huge sword symbolizing Rapier, a weapon that uses a bulls killer.

On the wall, a huge image of Abas bin Verna, an inventor in the ninth century who lived on a tour when the Arabs took control of most of the countries. It is attributed to the invention of Nafeeer, a long time ago Leonardo da Vinci. A model for his creation hanging next to his image, completely lit so that your face can be seen.

Huge The metal tube ranges from the inventor’s image to a lower levelSymbolically, empty the olives in a huge repression that nourishes the original ground mill. There is a bar that gives a balcony to eat. It is sustainable from huge chains. From the terrace, you can see the green fields that include olive trees. It is easy to understand the reason for the popularity of the oil factory among filmmakers. Robin Wright, from House of Cards, came to roll from the terrace.

Under the oil mill, there is the latest generation oil mill Visitors can see how to clarify oil. A series of machines crushes bones, purifies the oil and finally leave them to fill the bottles. Unlike wine, which should remain in the barrels for years, olive oil is ready to use once this repeated process is completed.

Above the oil factory, it is the greenhouse, where visitors can enjoy the taste of oil. It is an unusual process in which the oil is transferred to the mouth, and finally it swallowsBut before taking it to the lips, you have to smell the smell of the liquid. Strong oils have a more intense smell when they are placed in a cup next to the chest. If anyone leaves it, it is not soft.

For those who really want to enjoy the experiment, there is a farm – a country house – a short distance from the oil factory. This luxurious rural house Five bedrooms contain a tub designed by Starck And chairs, again, in the style of the bull. The fireplace, surrounded by fire, gives the place a comfortable atmosphere, as well as the Privacy Library. There are books on various topics such as the history of bulls and classics of Spanish literature.

Of course, not cheap: The rooms cost about 2,500 euros per nightBut you can think about the heavy green spaces of the surrounding olive trees. There is a huge TV, but it is for weekends. The oil factory plans to open a hotel in the future.

Like wine tourism in the past, simultaneously Where more and more people stop drinking alcoholTasting olive oil is very popular. A group of medium -sized British women who said that the gym was the reason for trying this trip.

propaganda

Philip Stark: With his own words

Eurono Culture: What is your inspiration for the oil factory?

Philip Stark: Miazara de Ronda is a very special place that took more than 15 years to start. but, The background history is simple and reflects who I am and how I work. Miazara revolves around the poetic function, using surreal language as a global communication car.

Surrealism is from Andalusia and the people of Ronda itself. Andalusia is a desert with a very strong vibration One of the most beautiful people in the world. circular It is one of them. I love this little and magical place. I cannot look at him without imagining that one day, God was in a bad mood; Suddenly, angry, he took a sword and left the city in two parts, and moved to an ordinary city with an unusual cliff in the middle.

The function was another key, since the origin of the project. In the past fifty years, it promoted environmental foods, starting with OAO, the first modern environmental food company that I created in 1996. After a few years, in 2003, with my deceased friend and Biriko (Pedro Gomez de Baisa), we cooperate to create A. Unique environmental olive oilOf Andalusia, La Organic is called. Since then he won many awards, among them “The best ecosystem in the world”. It is still produced in Ronda, and now at the oil factory. When the honor of feeding people is honored, it is obligatory to make sure that he is sincere and healthy as possible. This is why I always felt very proud to produce olive oil.

propaganda

Especially as it is a very sensitive process. Since the olive is collected until it reaches the factory, the time should be minimal. Once you press the olives, the oil should be stored in a cool and dark place. The temperature must be stabilized. With all these parameters in mind, I have created this effective machine in a wonderful way, which is the oil factory. The olive collected olives enter a large tube. In a few seconds, it is collected in the central deposit and the grinding process can begin. Everything is done with maximum efficiency and accuracy, in less than a minute.

It is supposed to be in favor of animal rights, so why is the century bull and rapine is the sword that is used to kill the bull?

The oil factory is a place made of symbols that reflect the passion and culture of Andalusia and its inhabitants. Building Red homogeneous cubeAs he fell from space. With the giant bull century on the front and eye of smoking over another. It is like Pandora Andaluza box. I love this is the mystery of not knowing what you will find inside. All dreams become possible.

Bull wrestling is represented in the oil factory. What do you think of that?

propaganda

I am completely against bullfighting, because it is an unfair struggle between the animal and the man, and the animal never wins. However, the people of Andalusia live for this, and cannot be denied.

Can you explain something more about the integration of the oil factory ?

In addition to the interface symbols, when entering the building, the contradictions are surprising. The building is dark and freshRespect and maintain the sensitive process for the production of olive oil.

It gives the impression of entering a cathedral, in a basement. Inside, the shades contain strong symbols, such as a Half the huge olive is included in the solid wall Who was initially believed to put a permanent flame, as a kind of Holy Spirit; A metal tube enters the building without leaving. Water flows. A huge heater welcomes fire.

propaganda

There is a huge personality that does not exceed, we do not know who he is. A plane made of revenge, one of the first story to fly, hangs on the huge room. A giant sword of bullfighting and an unexpected image of its inventor, Mattador round (Abbas bin Ferm, the inventor of Rondiano in the ninth century), rises above us.

Mr. Stark, how do you describe yourself?

I was also diagnosed with the nervous field, as I am the so -called spectrum. I cannot live in this world TaLay because it is for most people, so I live in insiders, Elsewhere.

The oil factory may be the project that reflects the most other place for me. This is my life. Everything is out of the scale, outside the scope, radical, surreal. The oil factory is the door that I opened about how the human brain can be.

propaganda

What was the reaction to the oil factory?

The oil mill is a service for society, for humanity, which honor and protect olive oil. When you discover it, it is a “slap on your face”, which wakes up and moves you. When I work in a project, I want people to get more inspiration and more creative. I have seen people who entered and started crying, overflowing with passion. I think these reactions show that I have achieved my mission.

In 1996, I created the La Redoute Good GOMES catalog, which proposes 170 sustainable life creatures for “future moral market”. What inspired the idea?

The good goods, which I created with La Redoute, were a sales catalog through “no products for non -consumers in the future moral market”, which only included responsible, environmental, sincere and minimal products. Today people are more aware and committed in environmental emergency situations. But at the time, good goods were unique, and perhaps very early at this time. I am proud of that. I am proud to do hard to help and community service, so that we look together a little top and a little more.

propaganda

What do you want to be your legacy?

I work day and night to try to understand everything I am, and how the future will be, what will be good and what will be bad. I try to be a light in fog, a pilot. While I live a little of this world, I have a vision of what can happen and I want to raise awareness and respond to people. In my small and modest way, I suggest solutions and alternatives, such as when I started fighting for Democratic design and democratic architecture. We have to get a roof at everyone’s head, and this will only happen if we re -invent traditional architectural construction, and to manufacture development and production in the same way that cars are built. My logo today is: “A house for the price of a car”.