Contemporary design in the Gothic Quarter

The project consists of the renovation of a 130m2 apartment located in the heart of Barcelona's Gothic Quarter, in a listed building behind the Town Hall.

The original space was composed by a sequence of wide and bright rooms communicating by arched openings, with balconies along the façade and an inner courtyard. Original features are maintained such as traditional Catalan ceilings showing off wooden beams and vaulted arches and the exterior carpentries with wooden shutters.

The intervention turned the space into a new modern and functional apartment where the traditional elements were coexisting with the new design without turning out to be predominant. The design incorporates both relaxing and working areas for the young owner of the apartment, while creating a social meeting place for meals and parties.

The renovation focused on creating identity for each one of the different spaces, however respecting the original structure. The renovation project is based on the reinterpretation of the existing spatial composition redefining the allocated functions and uses with the aim of designing new spatial and visual connections.

The result is a contemporary house of well defined and different environments with visual unexpected connections and where the original structure contributes to its depth and beauty.

There are two main areas: the first one is open and social, formed by the entrance hall, the kitchen and the living room; and the second one is private, formed by the bedroom and the bath.

The living room is located in the center of the apartment and communicates the rooms with each other. Because of its size and position, it is conceived as a perfect white frame where the furniture, modular and freestanding, can be configured according to the occasion. To achieve this the existing walls were rectified, the arched openings recovered so that the matched the original symmetry, and all the wood carpentry was replaced without losing its original essence.

Candles and tee lights

Candles and tee lights

bring a cozy and warm feeling to the home

Natural greenery

Natural greenery

create a Mediterranean style

Warm and rich textured fabrics

Warm and rich textured fabrics

add quality and comfort

The kitchen, designed as a meeting space as well as meals, is cozy and elegant and includes influences from old cafes. The ceiling and the longitudinal wall that begins in the entrance hall are paneled in wood with tinted solid pine slats, assembled by hand. The paneling integrates much of the kitchen furniture and auxiliary spaces, simplifying the space geometry.

The low kitchen units have a large lid that allows the countertop to be covered. The kitchen and the dining table are bronze metal panel finished.

The gold leaf and Swarovski crystals hanging lamp add metallic reflections that contrast with the space warm wooden finish.

Gold leaf and Swarovski crystals

Gold leaf and Swarovski crystals

suspended lamp by P&V Lighting

Tinted solid pine wood slats

Tinted solid pine wood slats

bring influences from old cafes

Dinning as a king

Dinning as a king

the dining table is bronze metal panel finished

Fruits and flowers

Fruits and flowers

add a delicate touch of color

The master bedroom, simple and private, is connected with the bathroom by a corridor. Since this is the only bathroom, the doors were re-defined so that this corridor could be part of both the bedroom and the living room. The bedroom and the corridor furniture are finished in white lacquer integrating the wardrobe and some extra storage.

The bathroom is a place of relaxation, intimate and sensual, oriented towards the inner courtyard. The walls are paneled in phenolic board with a high-gloss finish, hiding the storage and perimeter led lighting fixtures. All bathroom fittings are free standing and rounded to make the bath look larger. The shower area and the toilet are hidden behind a translucent glass.

The continuous concrete flooring, the walls and the new wooden carpentry, all in ivory white color, are common to the whole apartment, providing light and serving as a common thread throughout the different spaces.

Neutral and earth tones

Neutral and earth tones

complement the design

Free standing and rounded fittings

Free standing and rounded fittings

feel lighter

A mirror bed headrest

A mirror bed headrest

make the room appear larger

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