XAPO, an online bank for cryptocurrencies, commissioned the Lagranja studio to create their flagship headquarters in a former historic barracks in Gibraltar. Harmony, functionality, and respect for the antiquity of the structure guided the project.
XAPO is located inside an old abandoned army barracks, seeking a new purpose, in the heart of Gibraltar's historic center, under the shadow of its famous rock. The company occupies two arched bays of the barracks complex, built in local limestone, with ceilings supported by original wooden beams.
The original beams and stone walls have been cleaned and restored to their natural state. With the aim of combining ancient architecture with modern design, the Lagranja studio has reinvented the spaces with a contemporary office layout and furniture and decorations made using digital processes as in numerous architecture projects and renovations.
The sides of the entrance are flanked by shallow pools that provide brightness to a dark space, especially at night when laser beams pass through the pools and the reception area. To the right, through the original stone arches, is the XAPO bank; a number of ATMs where customers can manage their cryptocurrency transactions.
The headquarters office of XAPO designed by the Lagranja studio is grouped around the patio, a space conceived for both leisure and work, divided by glass screens for transparency and fluidity. Most of the custom-made furniture was 3D printed in Barcelona using organic corn-based plastic.
Modular in form and delicately textured in appearance, the idea was to create a sense of community and an informal narrative where all spaces are harmonious. Among the standout pieces are the reception area and the divider in the waiting room of the banking area, created with an intertwined composition of semi-circular shapes in earth tones.
