Historical elements and contemporary needs: an apartment in Barcelona

Hiha Studio has renovated an apartment in the Raval historical district, Barcelona. Existing floors, windows, wooden beams and masonry are project’s starting ingredients. The renovation by the Catalan practice is sensitive and substantial. The historical elements do not prevent a significant space reorganisation to meet contemporary needs and lifestyles.

The arrangement of internal windows favours the entrance of natural light towards the inner spaces. Windows also serve to remodel relational and visual relationships between spaces. According to the architects “The interior windows provide identity themselves and dilute the central passageway thanks to the visual interplay between the rooms”. Ultimately, Hiha Studio succeeded in the difficult task of dealing with a heavy historical context, giving a contemporary character to the spaces of the house.