The House of Bernarda Alba

The House of Bernarda Alba explores repression, control, and the conflict between tradition and desire through the architecture of Bernarda’s home. Inspired by Spanish architecture and Federico García Lorca’s former residence, the set uses repetitive arches and an inward-facing structure to create a house that appears open but still feels enclosed. The space is divided into two levels, making the hierarchy within the family visible. Bernarda often speaks to her daughters from the staircase or upper level, while they remain below her.

The staircase becomes a central part of both the architecture and the action. Its position connects the two levels of the house and gives changes in height a clear relationship to power. Bernarda’s position above her daughters reinforces her authority, while movement between the two levels allows that relationship to shift throughout the play. Branches wrap around the staircase, bringing an organic form into the rigid architecture of the house. The contrast between the two reflects the tension between Bernarda’s control and the desires of her daughters.

Red petals introduce another natural element into the space. They suggest youth and vitality, while their color also anticipates the violence and death at the end of the play. At the climax, Adela’s final act takes place on the upper level, giving a space previously associated with Bernarda’s authority a different meaning.

In the final act, Bernarda opens the main door and red petals are blown in from outside, spreading across the stage. The natural world that has been held beyond the walls finally enters the house, transforming the controlled interior at the moment when the family can no longer maintain that control.