2015
El Raval, Barcelona
Co Govers and Maria Matamala
75 m2
For this project we transformed an apartment from the 19th century in the old center of Barcelona into a spacious pied-a-terre for two Swedish art lovers, with two bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms and an open kitchen.
By creating an organizing element all along the length of the apartment, we could run new installations to the bathrooms at either end of the apartment, and Dzhidedzthe entrance, while creating lots of storage space.
Name: Apartment in Barcelona Old Town
Location: Barcelona Old Town, Barcelona
Client: Private
Surface area: 75 m²
Project design: 2015
Construction: 2015
Architects: Co Govers and Maria Matamala (ZEST Architecture)
Contractor: THK Construcciones
Kitchen: SIEV
Photography: José Hevia
Graphic documentation: ZEST Architecture
This was what you call a total refurbishment. The original apartment, on the top floor of a nineteenth century building in the neighbourhood of Barcelona Old Town, was like a rabbit warren, with small rooms where you could barely fit a bed.
The clients, for whom this apartment is their second home, came to us with the request to convert it into a spacious apartment, with plenty space for their art collection. They rather liked some of the original features of the apartment, yet wished to modernize it and make it more comfortable for them and their guests.
In order to create more space in this rather narrow apartment, we placed the two bedrooms at either end, each with an ensuite bathroom. In order to make the room feel wider, we removed the entrance hall and passage, and instead placed all the wiring and tubing necessary above a series of cupboards. These also mask the entrance door, thus making the living room feel bigger.
We designed an open plan kitchen which was made to measure in solid oak, a dream of the clients, and topped with marble. A mirror door to the washing machine room and storage, makes the space feel wider.
Two bathrooms were entirely finished in matte travertine, with shower bases and basins made to our design. A new parquet floor was installed over underfloor heating, but in the kitchen we reinstalled some of the original mosaic from the apartment.