La Muralla Roja, Spanish for ‘The Red Wall,’ is a post modernist housing project located in the area of Calpe in the Alicante region in Spain.  Designed by architect Ricardo Bofill, the building appears as if it is emerging from the rocky cliffs it sits on.

The structure is heavily influenced by the North African tradition of the casbah, a fort with high walls and few windows. The striking colours that cover the outer and inner facades are selected to either contrast with nature or complement its purity.

The 50 apartments of the project a are linked by a series of uniform stairs, landings and bridges, giving the impression of interlocking cubes. The variations of spaces connect create a labyrinthine complex of shifting and ambiguous scale, designed to a precise geometric plan based on the typology of the Greek cross.

All images courtesy of Ricardo Bofill