Mesura constructs Barcelona Aesop store from 19th-century building fragments
Spanish studio Mesura salvaged stone remnants of old fountains, archways and Gothic buildings to create the interior of this Aesop store in Barcelona. More
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Home renovation by Paloma Bau designed as “ode to the sea”
Textured tiles and exposed surfaces feature in the rehabilitation of this historic home in Valencia completed by local interior design studio Paloma Bau. More
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Hidden bookcase-door conceals rooms in minimalist Barcelona apartment
Japanese design principles were combined with Mediterranean materials inside this compact apartment designed by Miriam Barrio Studio in Barcelona, Spain. More
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White-washed Mondrian Ibiza hotel perches above Cala Llonga bay
Spanish studios Beades Architects and Cuarto Interior have revived a 1970s hotel property overlooking a bay in Ibiza, using local materials and mid-century furniture to transform its interiors.
The Mondrian Ibiza is perched on a steep hillside above the beach and turquoise waters of Cala Llonga, on the Balearic Island’s east coast.
Sculptural furniture forms lounge areas in the Mondrian Ibiza lobby”The building was initially constructed as the first purpose-built hotel in the region in response to the growing number of bohemian tourists on the island,” said the hotel team.
“Despite the launch of super clubs in many central hotspots, Cala Llonga, with its lush greenery, remained an oasis of slow living and authentic island life.”
Tonal decor is used throughout the hotel’s communal areasFirst built in 1972, the whitewashed structure steps back as it rises, creating spacious balconies for the front south-facing rooms.The Mondrian group collaborated with Beades Architects and Cuarto Interior to reimagine the 154-room resort, which has an unusual layout that operators Ennismore had to rethink.
In the guest rooms, textured plaster walls provide a backdrop for woven leather headboards”Opposite to most guest journeys that are about getting you up to the roof, for this property you arrive on the higher level and gradually make your way down through the spaces to end up four floors lower on the beach,” Ennismore’s global VP of design Mark Eacott told Dezeen.
Arrival at the hotel brings guests into a whitewashed reception area on the fourth floor that’s “inspired by the area’s natural caves”.
Mid-century-style furniture is used in the bedroomsA gallery of contemporary art pieces and ceramics gently slopes down to a niche enveloped in indigo blue, which forms the check-in area.
A variety of mid-century-style furniture pieces forms lounge areas, while a giant patterned rug leads to the main Sun & Moon bar framed by four chunky rounded columns.
Sliding windows are angled to face the best viewsApproachable from all sides, the bar counter front is carved with reliefs and inset with circular lights designed to emulate the silver bracelets sold at the island’s markets.
Guest rooms on the upper levels are arranged either side of a long corridor, and oriented at an angle so that their sliding windows face the best views and balconies don’t overlook the neighbours.
Guest room balconies offer private spaces to relax outdoorsIn the guest rooms, the decor continues the Mondrian’s neutral scheme while incorporating accents like woven leather headboards and textured linen curtains.
Slatted wood cabinets are designed to evoke the fisherman’s dry docks found on the coves and beaches across the island.
The white-washed building stands in contrast to the verdant surrounding hillsMondrian Ibiza is connected to a sister property, Hyde Ibiza, and shares several common facilities across the lower terraces.
These include a swimming pool, bar and lounge area, while another pool is reserved for Mondrian guests – both surrounded by cabana beds.The Standard designs island hotel to reference “golden age of Ibiza”
Between the two hotels, guests have access to seven restaurants and bars, including Mexican eatery Cuyo on the Hyde’s upper terrace, and a Japanese dining experience called Nico on the Mondrian’s third floor.
For casual fare during the day, the poolside Bungalow bar and grill offers bites and cocktails in a tropical-themed space that spills outdoors.
Mondrian Ibiza shares a main pool area with sister property Hyde IbizaArt placed throughout the hotel is curated by London-based collective Gone Rogue, and includes resin sculptures by Corine van Voorbergen in the lobby.
“The hotel bears all the aesthetic hallmarks of a Mondrian, yet there is a softness, and an element of movement conveyed through structural curves, organic shapes and sculptural fluidity that speaks to the island,” Eacott said.
The hotel occupies a renovated 1970s property that was one of the first in the areaIbiza offers a wealth of options for tourists looking for a relaxing getaway, as well as those arriving to enjoy the famed nightlife.
In Ibiza town, the Montesol Experimental and The Standard hotels cater to a younger crowd, while countryside retreats like Aguamadera and Campo Atelier provide guests with a slower pace.Read more: More
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Gold-leaf wall divides renovated Barcelona apartment by Raúl Sánchez Architects
Architect Raúl Sánchez has renovated a flat in a typical Barcelona apartment building, adding built-in cabinetry and furnishings in hues that echo the original mosaic flooring.
The 85-square-metre flat was created following the subdivision of a larger apartment with aspects towards the Carrer d’Enric Granados on one side and a large internal courtyard on the other.
Raúl Sánchez Architects has renovated a Barcelona apartmentSánchez’s studio was tasked with making the most of the available space, which is just six metres wide and needed to incorporate two bedrooms and two bathrooms along with a generous living area.
Following the partitioning of the original apartment, this smaller flat was left with an entrance set within the building’s interior at one end and a gallery-like room overlooking the courtyard at the other.
A wall covered in gold leaf separates the living area from the gallerySánchez chose to leave the main living area and gallery open to enhance the sense of space and connection with the view.The rest of the interior comprises private functions that are arranged along a hallway leading from the entrance to the living space.
The gallery houses the dining room and overlooks the courtyard”I wanted to maximise the light throughout the apartment and make something special of the corridor that was necessary given the situation of entering at one end,” the architect told Dezeen.
“Even though the apartment is small, there are different space situations like differences in height, materials, dimension or colour, which create a very rich experience inside the flat.”
The kitchen features a pink marble splashbackThe hallway is lined with full-height cabinetry, incorporating doors that lead to the bedrooms on either side. Each bedroom receives natural light and ventilation from a window that opens onto an internal courtyard.
Small annexes that serve as dressing rooms connect the bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, one of which is also accessible from the hallway. These spaces feature cabinets, shelves and handles made from water-resistant varnished MDF.
The flat is styled with modern design pieces including a sofa from KragelundThe walls lining the hall feature a rose-gold finish, only interrupted by a pair of dark blue lacquered bookshelves roughly halfway along.
Sánchez explained that the colour choices derive directly from the intricate mosaic floors, which were preserved and treated to restore them to their original condition.Red accents enliven social housing block on triangular plot in Barcelona
Rooms where the mosaic had previously been removed now feature off-white micro cement floors.
“Everything inside the apartment has a bit of that brownish-reddish-beige hue of the tiles,” he pointed out. “Even the blue of the shelves, which may seem a big contrast, can also be found in the tiles.”
Full-height cabinetry lines the hallway of the flatThe hallway’s walls form a datum that extends through into the living space, where the original exposed ceiling beams create a differentiation in height that is emphasised by a subtle change in colour.
The rose-gold hue used for the cabinets is echoed by a pink Portuguese marble splashback in the kitchen that was assembled from unmatched salvaged slabs.
Small annexes connect the bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms from the hallwayAn existing structural wall separating the living area from the gallery space was covered with gold leaf in order to lighten its appearance and conceal its load-bearing purpose.
“This imparts a more symbolic and abstract presence, serving as a connection element with the exterior, reflecting the light that falls upon it from the backyard,” said Sánchez.
The flat’s furnishings echo the mosaic flooring of the original apartment designThe property is owned by a client based in Dubai, who will use it as a pied-a-terre as well as renting it out some of the time.
It was styled with modern design pieces including a sofa from Kragelund, a chaise longue by Sancal and a cork stool from Vitra.
Dark-blue lacquered bookshelves coexist side-by-side with the rose-gold cabinetryLocal gallery Víctor Lope Arte Contemporáneo provided the various artworks.
Raúl Sánchez has lived and worked in Barcelona since 2005, where his studio takes on global projects across architecture, interiors, urbanism and design.
The office was named emerging interior design studio of the year at Dezeen Awards 2022 and has previously completed projects including a townhouse with a four-storey spiral staircase and an apartment featuring a shiny brass wardrobe.Read more: More
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Isern Serra designs Barcelona modelling agency as a “landscape” for taking photos
Pale walls, sculptural furnishings and sunken plant features provide a striking backdrop to photoshoots taking place inside this Barcelona modelling agency, devised by Spanish studio Isern Serra.
The Blow Models office occupies the ground floor of a 1920s building and its adjoining warehouse in Barcelona’s Sant Martí neighbourhood.
Isern Serra designed its pared-back interior as “a landscape where the models can take pictures”.
The Blow Models office centres around conversation pits and a sunken plant featureThe studio began by knocking through the building’s false ceiling and most of the partition walls to make the interior appear more open and airy.
A long, rectangular skylight was carved out of the ceiling to allow for more natural lighting, and all surfaces were painted in a pale buttermilk hue.A long concrete desk accommodates staff computersAs the building doesn’t sit above a basement or car park, the studio took the opportunity to dig down into the site’s foundations.
At the heart of the office, the floor is now punctuated by three holes. Two of these were turned into cushioned conversation pits while the third overflows with leafy tropical plants.
“Light and vegetation becomes the centre from which the project is structured,” explained the studio. “[The] unusual and beautiful background is intended to encourage photography.”
Steel stools were placed around another concrete tableTwo large concrete tables were placed on either side of the office – one functioning as a communal work desk while the other can be used for general staff gatherings, surrounded by steel stools.
Steel was also used to create a sculptural prep counter in the office’s kitchen.
The counter in the staff kitchen is also made from steelThe only rooms that are closed off are those used for meetings or by the accounting department.
Plain white curtains were installed around their perimeter so that they, too, can serve as spaces to photograph models if necessary.
Formal meeting rooms are closed off from the rest of the floor planTo maintain the office’s open plan, the toilets were tucked away beside the building’s stairwell. Here, an expansive picture window overlooks the street, bisected by a chunky concrete washbasin.
There’s also a floor-to-ceiling mirror where visiting models can do their makeup.
Picture windows in the toilets offer views of the streetThis isn’t the only workspace that Isern Serra has devised in Barcelona. Earlier this year, the studio designed a calming, minimalist office for eyewear brand Gigi.
Back in 2023 the studio also created an office for digital artist Andres Reisinger, finishing its interior with quartz and stainless steel details.
The photography is by Salva López.Read more: More
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Miriam Barrio creates “organic and natural” interiors for Barcelona curly hair salon
Barcelona-based Miriam Barrio Studios has transformed the interiors of a modernist building into Curly Lab, a curly hair salon incorporating curved shapes and copper-toned surfaces.
Located at the base of a gothic and modernist building designed by Catalan architect Enric Sagnier in 1895, Curly Lab is situated at Diputación in the Eixample district of Barcelona.
Miriam Barro has designed curly hair-informed interiors for Curly Labs salonMiriam Barrio Studios designed Curly Lab’s 65-square-metre-interior to convey an “organic and natural language”. The space, previously occupied by a real estate agency, now features rich textures that contrast the surrounding architecture.
Continuous microcement surfacing was used across the salon’s light-toned floors and its terracotta-toned wall to create a distinct backdrop. This microcement was locally sourced and manufactured within the vicinity of Barcelona.
Microcement was used for the light-toned floors and terracotta-hued wallsNew elements include curved shapes that form the structure of salon countertops, furnishings and lighting fixtures, creating pathways and routes across various workstations.“The organic shapes were a match because in the modernist world they symbolised beauty and were entirely aligned with the DNA of curly hair,” designer Miriam Barrio told Dezeen.
Polished copper tiles decorate these countertop bases, coexisting with historical features also on display.
Copper-toned tiles furnish the bases of workstation countertopsRemnants of the previous interior are still visible throughout the renovated space. They include exposed brick walls and a Catalan vault ceiling with original floral paintings, which the studio preserved in their current state.
This process involved a thorough cleaning. The studio then unified the ceiling backgrounds using plain colours, followed by a matte and transparent patina application.
“The colour of the original ceiling drawings, they were pure inspiration!” Barrio said.
“A great find and a stroke of luck since there is nothing more natural and special than copper tones,” she added.
“We wanted to choose a colour derived from the tones of the ceiling and make it the protagonist. It needed to be warm and deep at the same time, neither too feminine nor too masculine. Based on that colour, all the materials for the project were chosen.”
Preserved features include exposed brick walls and a Catalan vault ceiling with original floral paintingsThe lighting in the space was arranged to highlight the interior’s key architecture and design components, creating an eye-catching display at night when viewing the salon from outside.
“The lighting in the main space with high ceilings needed to serve two functions: technical lighting for work and decorative lighting to set the atmosphere and enhance the architecture,” Barrio said.Nieuwe Instituut’s New Store 2.0 turns free haircuts into textiles in Milan
“They were positioned at mid-height to illuminate the ceilings from the same element. Curved track lights were designed to flow in the space in the same way as the other elements,” she added.
Barrio used black metal for the majority of the fixtures besides lighting, including oval-shaped mirrors on dressing tables and Color Bar furniture. Other notable accessories include ceramic lamps and velvet sofas.
Lighting fixture positioning accentuates the architecture and design of the space”I think it is important to feel beautiful in a salon, for the space to be a fitting companion,” Barrio expressed.
“We want [consumers] to feel welcomed and inspired, close to feeling like they are in a special temple. In a place of care on all levels.”
Curly Labs combines new and old shapes and colours to create an “organic and natural” atmosphereOther innovative salon interiors across the globe include the Buller and Rice in London designed by Anita Rice and Stephen Buller, Koda in Sydney by Arent & Pyke and Treadwell by Gin Design Group.
The photography is by Salva López.Read more: More
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H3O creates “unpredictable” zigzagging interiors for lightning-struck home
Three jagged walls delineate the colourful spaces inside this converted barn in Sant Just Desvern, Spain, transformed by Barcelona studio H3O to reference a lightning bolt that struck the building generations ago.
The one-storey Relámpago House is a former barn with a white-painted barrel-vaulted ceiling in the Spanish town of Sant Just Desvern on the outskirts of Barcelona.
Relámpago House features a colour-block interiorFor the interior scheme, H3O took cues from an old family legend told by the homeowner, whose ancestors are said to have survived a lightning bolt that struck the barn and entered the building through the chimney, narrowly avoiding the family members sheltering under the dining table.
“Transforming a story into architecture seemed to us a fascinating and fun challenge,” the studio told Dezeen.
H3O delineated spaces with jagged walls informed by lightning boltsH3O inserted three intersecting walls shaped like lightning bolts into the plan, defining rooms within the otherwise open space.“This geometry choice is not random – it emulates the unpredictable trajectory and rapid dispersion of a lightning bolt’s energy,” added the studio.
The all-pink bedroom is accessed via a colourful doorThe colourful intersecting walls enclose a private bedroom and bathroom, as well as forming the perimeter of the open-plan kitchen and living area.
This communal space features zigzagged strip lighting suspended above a boxy metal kitchen island and walls clad in green glazed tiles.
Strip lighting was suspended above a metal kitchen islandSugary pink walls delineate the bedroom, accessed via a contrasting door that is painted dark green on one side and deep blue on the other.
“The interaction of these colours with the opening and closing doors creates an experience of spatial fluidity inspired by the pop art aesthetic of the 70s, reflecting a radical, fun and optimistic spirit,” explained H3O.
The angular bathroom has a blue ceiling and wallsCharacterised by a mixture of green tiles and floor-to-ceiling dark blue paint, the bathroom is the smallest and most angular of the spaces, with a jagged, asymmetric mirror that wraps one corner of the room and tops a geometric sink.
“The construction of the walls involved a meticulous design and execution process, ensuring that every angle and twist served an aesthetic function and optimised habitability and indoor living,” the studio said.
Stones were collected to create “seemingly out-of-context” door handlesSmall stones were collected to create “seemingly out-of-context” door handles throughout the dwelling, adding organic accents to the otherwise colour-blocked interior.
As a final nod to the home’s tumultuous history, a sculptural silver lightning bolt now protrudes from the chimney.Masquespacio founders create home and office where “everything revolves around play”
“The idea of a lightning bolt redefining space, filling it with form and colour, pushed us to explore beyond conventional boundaries,” reflected H3O.
“Relámpago House transforms a forgotten barn into a visual spectacle.”
A silver lightning bolt protrudes from the building’s chimneyVarious other architectural projects have been defined by zigzagging motifs.
London-based Outpost studio created a jagged zinc kitchen extension in Haggerston while German practice Wulf Architekten designed a sports centre for a school in Überlingen with a folding roof to reference the mountains of the surrounding Alps.
The photography is by José Hevia.Read more: More
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Masquespacio founders create home and office where “everything revolves around play”
The founders of Spanish studio Masquespacio have transformed a traditional Valencian farmhouse into their self-designed home and studio, with maximalist interiors that nod to the Memphis movement.
Creative and life partners Ana Milena Hernández Palacios and Christophe Penasse renovated the 1920s villa, which was once a farmhouse on the outskirts of Valencia, to create a hybrid home and studio that reflects their maximalist approach to interiors.
Masquespacio has designed a live-work space in Valencia”Everything revolves around the concept of play,” explained Hernández Palacios, who co-founded Masquespacio with Penasse in 2010.
“We’ve been influenced by many styles over the last decade, from New Memphis to art deco and futurism,” Penasse added. “We can say that our private home is a mix of it all.”
The ground floor holds the studio’s workspacesThe duo maintained the building’s original timber front door and white facade decorated with light-blue window frames and ornate grilles.Inside, the ground floor was reserved for their studio, spread across several interconnected meeting rooms in the former farmstead, known locally as an alquería.
Masquespacio restored the building’s original hydraulic floor tilesHere, Masquespacio restored the building’s decoratively patterned hydraulic floor tiles alongside its traditional doors and windows.
Painted in bright hues, they help to colour-code the different office spaces, filled with the studio’s characteristic chunky, lumpy and latticed furniture.
There is a double-height interior courtyard at the centre of the home”As always, the project includes a mix of colours, textures and forms – one of the main aspects of all our designs, no matter what aesthetic we’re working with,” Penasse told Dezeen.
At the centre of the home is a double-height interior courtyard illuminated by skylights, with exposed-brick walls painted in lilac surrounded by wiggly flowerbeds with lush statement cheese plants.
From the courtyard, visitors can see up to an interior balcony on the first floor, which is accessed via a purple concrete staircase and contains the living spaces.
The couple’s bed is encased in a green dome next to a hot-pink seating booth.The balcony reveals two sculptural objects – a giant green dome that conceals the couple’s bed and a curved hot-pink screen that hides a seating booth.
This immersive furniture – Penasse’s favourite part of the project – creates a focal point that connects both levels of the house but also provides more private quarters for the couple despite the open nature of the overall plan.
A mosaic of yellow tiles defines the bathroom”There are no wall partitions to hide our home [from downstairs] but it’s kept private by the bed’s form and a semi-transparent green curtain that allows us to take advantage of the natural light almost everywhere on the upper floor,” explained Penasse.
The sleeping area is connected to the main living space via a tunnel-like corridor, which includes an all-yellow bathroom with triangular cabinets and walls clad with a mosaic of handmade ceramic tiles.Ten self-designed studios by architects and designers
Opposite the bathroom is a colourful open-air terrace featuring circular windows and similar built-in seating to Bun Turin – an Italian burger joint designed by Masquespacio with boxy blue-tiled tables created to look like swimming pools.
“Geometry can be found all over our house,” explained Hernández Palacios. “Everything is a game of circles and triangles.”
The terrace follows a similar geometry to the interiorsThe light blue kitchen includes large, triangular alcoves and cupboards finished in natural stone and aluminium, designed to conceal utilities.
There is also an island made from veiny marble and petite glazed tiles. Bespoke Masquespacio bar stools were wrapped in matching pale blue fabric.
Triangular cupboards feature in the kitchenNext to the open-plan kitchen, the living and dining spaces include more brightly coloured furniture from the studio’s Mas Creations collection, which features the same twisted and angular shapes and soft upholstery as the pieces downstairs.
Floor-to-ceiling curtains form a backdrop for a snaking lime green sofa, while dark green dining chairs with pyramidal backrests were positioned around a jewel-like glass table.
Striking pyramid-shaped dining chairs continue the maximalist theme”Ninety-five per cent of the furniture and objects in our house are part of our Mas Creations collection, locally designed and produced by our studio,” said Penasse.
Similarly bold projects from Masquespacio include a restaurant in Milan, Italy, with interiors that take cues from futuristic spaceships and the first Mango Teen store in Barcelona featuring vivid graphic shapes.
The photography is courtesy of Masquespacio.Read more: More
