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santa maria del mar apartment

Contemporary Intimacy in Barcelona’s Historic Heart

Tucked away in the narrow, labyrinthine streets of Barcelona’s El Born district — where the facades of Gothic buildings almost touch — this 75-square-meter apartment offered both a challenge and an opportunity: how to bring light, openness, and contemporary elegance into a space defined by its centuries-old urban fabric.

The project began with a complete demolition of the existing interior, preserving only the original envelope and historic structural walls. From this blank canvas, we reimagined the apartment’s spatial flow and identity, creating a one-bedroom home that feels both chic and deeply personal.

The design is guided by a monochromatic palette, combining natural materials, warm woods, and eco-friendly finishes. The open-plan living area integrates kitchen, dining, and lounge into a single fluid space, centered around a monolithic kitchen island designed for both daily life and entertaining. Hidden storage solutions and clean architectural lines preserve a sense of spaciousness and visual continuity.

Given the limited natural light typical of El Born’s intimate streets, we developed a custom illuminated wall installation — full-height LED panels designed to emulate soft, natural daylight. This wall brings a gentle, diffused glow throughout the day, transforming in the evening into a dynamic feature that can shift tones and moods, enhancing the apartment’s versatility and atmosphere.

Throughout the apartment, every decision — from materials to lighting to layout — was made to reflect the personality and lifestyle of its inhabitant. This project is not only a contemporary transformation within a historical context but also a testament to the idea that a home should be a portrait of those who live within it.