Learn how family-owned Bellapart Group has grown to build bespoke facades for some of the world’s most ambitious buildings
Originating in Spain, Bellapart Group (Bellapart) has established itself as one of the world’s most sought-after specialists in steel and glass facades, structures and complex building envelopes. Today, the company’s reach spans four continents, where it continues to deliver some of the most ambitious and technically demanding architectural projects in the world. Sara Arbós, Chief Executive Officer, tells us how the family business evolved into a global name.
“Bellapart is a family firm, and I am the fourth generation to lead it. Over its history, the business has shifted its focus considerably, starting out as an ancillary metalwork factory for the textile industry before gradually migrating, generation by generation, into high-end, highly bespoke architectural facades, skylights and entrances in steel, glass, timber and porcelain, and composites. I like to describe our company as a facade tailor that creates bespoke clothing for high-end buildings, made to fit different geometries and finished to the highest standard. Although we are a fairly small company, we take great pride in producing a very high-quality result and pushing the boundaries of the industry. We are also highly innovative and creative in how we achieve our designs, because ultimately our role is to help architects bring their vision to reality,” she begins.
Innovation and agility
Sara’s great-grandfather founded the business in 1939, and as the fourth generation to take over, she sees her role as a careful balance between honouring that legacy and driving the company’s expansion across borders. “I find that to be one of the most fun and honourable tasks I have, because as Sir Isaac Newton said, ‘we stand on the shoulders of giants.’ It is an immense pleasure to be able to draw on the heritage and the lessons learned from the generations before me. At the same time, the world has changed a lot, and it is our duty to adapt to new realities so that our legacy can endure. Not adapting would, in a way, be a betrayal of that legacy, because it would mean the company could not continue into this new era. Finding that balance is a challenge, but one I take on with great pride. In a globalised and increasingly connected world, it is simply our duty to become international, and I believe my predecessors would have done exactly the same in my shoes. We are adapting to the current landscape while staying true to the same values of cooperation, innovation and commitment that have carried this company through four generations and allowing ourselves to be innovative and creative,” she reveals.
Increasing market presence
International expansion was not always part of a carefully laid plan for the Spain-focused family business. “My father began expanding Bellapart out of pure necessity, during the major financial crisis in Spain,” Sara explains. “At that time, we lost the Spanish market almost entirely; about 90 per cent of our revenue disappeared, and it eventually became a straight zero, leaving us with no other choice. It was erratic, as all internationalisation tends to be, especially when it is born out of need rather than careful planning. But I have been able to draw a great deal from what was done during that period, and it has helped enormously. Now, we are organising and consolidating those markets, building solid ground in each one we have already entered. The UK has been a market for us for almost 20 years now and is well consolidated. From there, we moved into France, which we are currently in the process of consolidating, and that progress has allowed us to look further afield.”
Indeed, the company is looking to apply the same approach to its presence in the US and beyond. “While we had done irregular work in the US in the past, we are now consistently and solidly established there, working with more than one client, tendering heavily and increasing our presence in the market. We are also exploring Asia to understand whether there is a market there for what we offer, and that opportunity is slowly developing. We do everything in a very orderly fashion, making sure that the markets we have already entered are properly consolidated before considering expansion into a new region. Rather than simply looking to grow for growth’s sake, we want to have more projects to choose from, so that we can focus on what we do best: high-end, bespoke and highly complex projects, while maintaining the quality, spirit and core values that define us. Since the world is currently highly volatile, diversifying our portfolio is essential; we cannot afford to have all our eggs in one basket,” Sara elaborates.
Impressive project portfolio
Bellapart’s dedication to pushing boundaries is reflected just as strongly in its work. Specialising in the most iconic features of a building, including canopies, main entrance halls, skylights and atrium staircases, the company often combines steel and glass in striking ways, from glass panels spanning up to 14 metres to highly curved, bespoke geometries. Bellapart also produces very large doors, such as sliding doors up to ten metres tall and swing doors reaching four metres. Depending on the demands of each project, the company can also make domes, skylights and rooftops. Despite that eclecticism, Bellapart remains true to its engineering roots, with a strong focus on high-end quality, materials, finishes and service. “Our mission is to bring our clients’ ideas to life by constantly pushing boundaries. Everything is constructed by our own engineering team in our own workshop and with material we sourced ourselves, which is exactly why we call ourselves tailors,” Sarah informs.
To support that capability as the business continues to grow, Bellapart has recently purchased a new piece of equipment, representing a significant investment: a five-axis CNC machine capable of handling large parts up to eight metres by 1.5 by 1.2 metres, complete with a rotating plate that allows the team to machine and construct highly complex shapes at scale. The new machine is already being put to use on two projects currently underway in Paris, both still under wraps but scheduled to open next year.
Elsewhere, the team has just begun work on site on an exciting project in Los Angeles involving cast glass, a new material addition for the company. Closer to completion is a project in London with Foster + Partners at Burlington Gardens, set for its preliminary opening on the 25th of June. The project is the main European gallery for RH, the restoration hardware furniture brand, and Bellapart has delivered all of the skylights and light shafts across a highly complex scheme that includes fire-rated skylights, flitch beams in solid oak and curved glass finished in bronze.
“It is a very unique, bespoke and highly engineered project. It is open to the public, so I would really encourage people to see it for themselves,” Sara ends.