Barcelona Project

A run down, nearly crumbling 15th century flat in the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona was brought back to life by salvaging its original layout, materials and identity. Situated in Plaza del Rey (King’s Square) the flat is surrounded by medieval buildings, some of them from Romanesque to Renaissance architecture which were altered for modern living. In this case, the flat had wall to wall carpeting and the whole interior was painted white including beams, casings, moldings, doors, windows, etc. After lifting the carpeting we discovered the beautiful Spanish tiles covered in layers of glue. Most of the stripping was done by hand.

The only spatial alteration we did was furring out a dining room wall to allow for display and storage after finding a pair of vintage cabinet doors at “Antiguedades Otranto”, a great source for old tiles, hardware, doors, windows, etc. We also bought a few furniture pieces, some modern, from local vendors and in most cases we carried them on foot through its narrow streets.

This project was a labor of love and a good starting point for the client to express his own taste and sensibilities. The location and the setting is one of the most dramatic and enchanting spaces I’ve ever worked on and the views unparalleled.