bach arquitectes preserves art nouveau elements in barcelona apartment building renovation

bach arquitectes preserves art nouveau elements in barcelona apartment building renovation

bach arquitectes restores casa alesan in barcelona

 

Bach arquitectes completes the restoration of Casa Alesan, an art nouveau housing block in Barcelona, Spain. Originally commissioned by Dolors Alesan in 1902 and designed by architect Enric Fatjó i Torras, the structure is celebrated for its ornate facade and interiors. Led by architects, Jaume Bach, Anna & Eugeni Bach, the project involved not only the restoration but also the thoughtful refurbishment and expansion of the property. Through their craftsmanship, they integrated 16 new apartments and a pair of two-story penthouses, all while maintaining the authentic essence of the building. This meticulous transformation honors the rich heritage of Catalan modernism while meeting the contemporary demands of residential living.

bach restore casa alesan and honour barcelona's art nouveau style
all images by Eugeni Bach

 

 

retaining casa alesan’s art nouveau style

 

The Casa Alesan project began with meticulous planning by Bach arquitectes and restoration efforts to retain the property’s original art nouveau style inside and out. Stucco, stone sculpture, metalwork, and stained glass form a facade of harmonious proportions and presence on the Boulevard. Inside, the entrance hall and the staircase stand out, with a large skylight on the roof that provides natural light to all spaces. The architects chose to preserve the hydraulic floors, most of the plaster decoration ceilings in the apartment’s interiors, and ornate stained glass galleries on the facade and the block’s interior.

bach restore casa alesan and honour barcelona's art nouveau style
stucco, stone sculpture, metalwork, and stained glass form the facade

 

 

bach’s proposal blends in with barcelona’s architecture

 

The restoration posed significant challenges, notably increasing the number of apartments from eight to 18, while preserving the estate’s character and intricate decorative elements. BACH cataloged and restored every facet, from façades to common spaces, ensuring the preservation of the property’s essence. The new design preserves the original floors and ceilings by incorporating volumes that do not fully reach each story’s height. The architects introduced the building’s expansion with a new volume, that slightly differentiates from the original building; This volume is proposed with a facade made with vertical circular profile ceramic slats, that make the expansion appear lighter and whose color establishes a bond with the property on which it rests, as well as with the latern of the neighboring Palau Macaya.

bach restore casa alesan and honour barcelona's art nouveau style
the architects preserve Casa Alesan’s art nouveau characteristics

bach restore casa alesan and honour barcelona's art nouveau style
the building’s expansion was introduced with a new volume that slightly differentiates from the original building

bach arquitectes preserves art nouveau elements in barcelona apartment building renovation
the addition’s facade is made with vertical circular profile ceramic slats

bach restore casa alesan and honour barcelona's art nouveau style
inside the building the entrance hall and the staircase stand out

bach arquitectes preserves art nouveau elements in barcelona apartment building renovation
a large skylight on the roof that provides natural light to all spaces

bach-casa-alesan-barcelona-art-nouveau-style-designboom-1800-03

the expansion’s facade establishes a bond with the property on which it rests

bach arquitectes preserves art nouveau elements in barcelona apartment building renovation
the architects chotse to preserve galleries from stained glass in the block’s interior

bach arquitectes preserves art nouveau elements in barcelona apartment building renovation
BACH cataloged and restored every facet ensuring the preservation of the property’s essence

bach-casa-alesan-barcelona-art-nouveau-style-designboom-1800-02

the design accomodates modern living amenities while preserving the art deco style

bach arquitectes preserves art nouveau elements in barcelona apartment building renovation
the new design preserves the original floors and ceilings

 

1/8
two new two-story penthouse flats were added to the apartment block
two new two-story penthouse flats were added to the apartment block
stone sculpture details make the entrance hall stand out
stone sculpture details make the entrance hall stand out
art deco lighting fixture in casa alesan's entrance hall
art deco lighting fixture in casa alesan's entrance hall
sculptured ceilings are one of the building's attractions
sculptured ceilings are one of the building's attractions
ornate facade details were preserved to honour catalan modernism
ornate facade details were preserved to honour catalan modernism
the wooden entrance door of the building is a part of it's ornate facade
the wooden entrance door of the building is a part of it's ornate facade
the interior design incorporates elemets that do not fully reach each story’s height
the interior design incorporates elemets that do not fully reach each story’s height
wood was chosen as the main material in the apartment's interior
wood was chosen as the main material in the apartment's interior

project info:

 

name: Casa Alesan
designer: Bach arquitectes / Jaume Bach, Anna & Eugeni Bach
location: Barcelona, Spain 
photographer: Eugeni Bach | @eugenibach

 

 

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

 

edited by: thomai tsimpou | designboom

KEEP UP WITH OUR DAILY AND WEEKLY NEWSLETTERS
suscribe on designboom
- see sample
- see sample
suscribe on designboom

happening now! croatian furniture company prostoria stands as an example of a different and more traditional approach based on the evolution from the local factuality of all actors involved in the production process. explore prostoria on designboom! 

anna and eugeni bach (5)

architecture in barcelona (80)

architecture in spain (634)

renovation architecture and design (765)

residential architecture and interiors (3909)

PRODUCT LIBRARY

a diverse digital database that acts as a valuable guide in gaining insight and information about a product directly from the manufacturer, and serves as a rich reference point in developing a project or scheme.

designboom will always be there for you

milan, new york, beijing, tokyo,  since 1999
X
5