House of Harvest / Frayn Studio

closed

Text description provided by the architects.The House of Harvest is a community food hub that breathes new life into a former cattle slaughterhouse, transforming it into a vibrant center for local, regenerative food. Supporting a small-scale, sustainable food system across the Balearic Islands, the project connects every stage of food production—from cultivation and transformation to distribution and community gathering. Designed with natural materials and a focus on energy efficiency, the space invites public engagement and celebrates the shared experience of food.A commitment to energy efficiency is central to the building's design. The exterior is enveloped in a "thermal blanket" made from Diathonite Evolution - a natural material composite of lime, cork, and clay, which enhances the building's insulation. The roof is constructed from compressed wood fibre panels and topped with standing-seam zinc panels. This design not only contributes to the building's energy performance but also captures every drop of rainwater, funnelling it through an underground system back to the farm to nourish crops that feed the building.The roof is also home to over 100 solar panels, generating up to 70 kWh of power. In summer, the building produces more energy than it consumes, selling the surplus back to the grid. The north-facing side of the roof is punctuated with skylights, allowing natural light to flood key areas and reducing the need for artificial lighting throughout the day.The Food Distribution and Transformation Kitchens are operated as private commercial areas, while the Farm Shop and Tasting Room are open to the public, inviting visitors to connect with locally produced food. These public spaces are linked by a new courtyard featuring a planted public seating area.The House of Harvest stands as a living, working proof of concept for the wider transformation of agricultural infrastructure at Juntos Farm. It serves as a case study for retrofitting industrial spaces to support the development of local, regenerative food systems—a vision shared by the client and design team, who aim to inspire a broader movement towards local, community-driven agriculture.The design retains the building's original footprint yet reinterprets it as a "metabolism," where freshly harvested produce enters through a loading bay and moves through distinct yet interconnected spaces. These spaces are designed to add value at every stage.