In the heart of Santiago de Compostela, architect David Chipperfield has helped turn a historic property into a working example of sustainable agriculture. Casa RIA opened in 2024 after David Chipperfield Architects refurbished the building. It now houses the headquarters of Fundación RIA and the practice’s Galician office. Chipperfield established the independent nonprofit in 2017 to research sustainable territorial development in Galicia, from territorial planning and environmental issues to local economies and cultural heritage. Casa RIA also hosts public programming, including lectures and exhibitions, making it a civic venue as well as a workplace. Its urban garden is bringing back native Galician vegetable varieties once at risk of disappearing. From the straight lines of the planting beds to the labels on local produce, the project pairs tradition with precision.
The garden sits on land once buried under debris and now grows more than fifty types of vegetables. They include local oranges and lettuce, tomatoes and peppers, eggplants, and rare peas. More than 30 staff members take part, rotating weekly to work the soil and step away from office routines. Visiting students from Yale University also help with the agricultural work during their stay at Casa RIA. The garden’s focus on farming complements Fundación RIA’s wider work on environmental issues and local economies.
Santiago Pérez, a Galician farmer known for reviving the native ‘guisante lágrima’ pea, advises the garden team. He once worked as a pilot in Florida, then returned to Galicia to focus on agriculture. Since then, he has become a basic figure in the region’s effort to recover lost crops. His collaboration with Casa RIA began in 2025. He calls the project his “premium passion” and says working alongside architects brings discipline to the work. A chestnut and a centuries-old tulip tree shade the garden, whose design conserves water and creates a distinctive microclimate for the crops.
Chef Iago Pazos, who leads A Cantina de Casa RIA, works the garden’s daily harvest into the menu for staff and the public. Known also for his work at Abastos 2.0, Pazos adjusts his dishes as the available produce changes, keeping the focus on local, seasonal ingredients. Architect Lucía Escrigas documents the plants’ growth and develops educational materials. These help diners and visiting school groups learn where each vegetable comes from and what distinguishes it.
The Casa RIA project is part of a broader movement in Galicia to recover agricultural biodiversity. The team is already in contact with the germplasm bank at CIAM (Centro de Investigacións Agrarias de Mabegondo) to start cultivating rarer, forgotten varieties, including local lettuce and tomatoes, peppers and onions. Its goal is to restore flavors and crops that have nearly vanished from the region’s fields and markets.
Urban gardens like Casa RIA’s are common in Santiago’s historic center, where many buildings conceal small plots used for self-sufficiency. Chipperfield’s project stands out for its scale and ambition, bringing architectural heritage together with agricultural new idea. Its success has stirred pride among staff and shown how historic spaces can be repurposed to address current challenges, including climate change and food sustainability. By combining office space and public cultural activities with agricultural work, Casa RIA has a role beyond that of a private architectural workplace.
Efforts to recover traditional crops in Galicia echo similar initiatives across Spain, where local communities are increasingly turning to sustainable agriculture and heritage varieties. The trend reflects growing awareness of biodiversity and food security, concerns also evident in regions facing environmental and economic pressures. Recent reports have shown how communities respond to changing conditions, including natural disasters elsewhere in the country. One example is the mobilization described in coverage of civil society action after earthquakes in Venezuela.
Casa RIA’s urban garden shows how architectural vision, community involvement and agricultural expertise can renew forgotten traditions. The project is preparing to introduce more rare Galician varieties, building on its work in sustainable development and cultural preservation across Spain’s regions.
