Apartment Barcelona Old Town | 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 El Raval, 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.