We stepped into the inner patio of one of the popular traditional "modernist" houses in the historical centre of the town of El Masnou, in the Maresme region of Barcelona (Spain).
The overall aim of the project was to completely renovate the modernist patio, for which we were asked to design a swimming pool, improve the patio's functionality and insert a new staircase to ensure the two levels of the patio could be used. This allowed the ground floor to be directly connected to the solarium on the upper floor.
The project contains various strategies for maximising space and circulation between the different areas of the patio. The most significant one was the insertion of a swimming pool with a movable floor, which enables the use of the whole patio even in the coldest months. As well as concealing the pool access stairs, this mobile platform can be set to the desired height, allowing the user to have a pool of different heights.
One of the key aspects of the project consisted in levelling the existing floors, which allowed us to remove architectural barriers and thus make better use of the patio, while at the same time enhancing the image of the arches as an atrium as well as the existing fountain at the end of the patio.
As a final result we can say that we chose to combine tradition and modernity, favouring the rational use of spaces. In addition, the project was designed around the premise of using the region's traditional materials, such as Catalan ceramics and Barcelona-style roller blinds, as well as including other materials such as travertine and white metalwork.
Team:
Architects: CEBRIÀ Arquitectura + Oliver Segura Arquitectura
Other participants: Matter group / Aqualift / Aquablau
Photography: Mario Martínez - LATENART
Material Used:
1. Flooring: Matter group
2. Movable Floor: Aqualift
3. Pool Equipment: Aquablau
4. Roller Blinds: Persiana Barcelona
