1. Introduction
Designed between 1907 and 1909 by the architect Arnau Calvet y Peyronill, the building where our intervention is located, stands in the heart of Barcelona and responds to the elegant and geometric decorations that refer to the typical experience of modernist architecture in Barcelona. The project arises from the need to recover the historical and cultural essence of the house itself: its renovation aims to preserve with the utmost respect the originality and beauty of Catalan modernist art, from the recovery and complementation of the floor made with original Barcelona mosaic. Likewise, the personality of the house reflects and respects the artistic and poetic sensibility of the tenants, respecting their way of being in each different element and detail.
Following this premise, BCN032 shares the rapid technological change that we are living more and more intensely every day and for this reason it is committed to technological and digital innovation with revolutionary and minimalist elements that turn the environment into a truly contemporary and avantgarde piece.
2. Location
The building is located on a 703 m² plot in the urban district of Eixample in Barcelona, where, historically, bourgeois residences were located with the artistic explosion of modernism represented by such outstanding buildings as La Pedrera, Casa Batlló and Casa Ametller, among many others.
3. Allocation
The flat to be refurbished has a living area of 166.55 m², which has been completely refurbished. The current distribution of the property is on a single floor and consists of a large entrance hall. On the left side we have a corridor that distributes 2 bathrooms, 3 living rooms, 1 bedroom and 2 balconies. On the right side another corridor distributes 2 bathrooms, 4 rooms, 1 living and dining room, the kitchen and a gallery. In the project phase, the intention was to maintain the functional day/night scheme, generating a continuous space that brings together the social rooms of the house. Accessed from the entrance hall, on the right-hand side are the daytime functions: a large living room and library in the east end that will enjoy the gallery and the views of the large interior courtyard; the kitchen and dining room are located next to this room, facing each other. Finally, in the most central space of the house, but still on the right-hand side, a guest bedroom and bathroom are completed.
From the entrance hall, on the left-hand side, you can access the night area: a hallway leading to a toilet, a bedroom and the master bedroom with a study and ensuite bathroom. The master suite and the study will have access to the balconies overlooking the main street.
The living room is a communal space with a usable area of 10 m². This is where the most inclusive activities of the tenants take place, therefore the aim is to create an area of comfort in its entirety, not only aesthetically, but also thanks to the solar, light and climate control. In this sense, the room has an opening in the façade to the direct public space (inner courtyard of the block) through a gallery with a window that opens directly to the open air. This intervention is carried out to achieve better habitability conditions, as the living room will enjoy more direct natural light and an improvement in natural ventilation in addition to enjoying such a pleasant space in the flat.
The main element of the living room is characterized by a library, which is arranged along the entire length of the wall, turning what is apparently a decorative factor into an indispensable and profitable element in the actual work. The intention in this case has been to include the client in the design of the project, recognizing and valuing his intellect and his attitude towards knowledge, art and culture. The night area of the house has a total of 3 rooms: a single room, a double room and the master bedroom on the far left. The original layout has been adapted to the needs of the owners, carrying out a work study with interventions to ensure a more diaphanous and ample space, avoiding its separation and compartmentalization.
4. Materials
The essential material used in the realization of this project is undoubtedly the recovery of the mosaic, present almost in its entirety on the floor of the flat. It is "Nolla" mosaic, one of the first high-performance ceramic floor tiles introduced in Spain in the mid-19th century. It consists of small pieces of stoneware, with different colors and shapes. Its composition generates patterns and designs of high artistic value. In one m² there can be up to 400 pieces. This makes it a material that requires great craftsmanship for its handling and coloring, even more so if it is to be recovered and restored, as, apart from its restoration, in some cases it must be removed, cleaned and returned to its original state.
Team:
Main architect: Alexis Martínez de San Vicente Cals
Technical architect: Jessica Garcia
Other Architects: Sara Garcés, Eniko Kosztolanyi, Miriam Ruiz, Gonzalo Alonso
Light designer: Jordi Saladié
