h3o architects' proposal updates Casa Plató to make it habitable without losing its character and atmosphere, a setting frequently used by the film industry as it allows one to imagine what the Gràcia district was like when it was still a collection of houses with gardens and a village feel.
The new owner wanted to live comfortably in the house without erasing its unique character, preserving the memory of the place in a project that balances transformation and permanence and synthesizes a dual nature: setting and home.
Casa Plató by h3o architects. Photography by Simone Marcolin.
"We thoroughly enjoyed thinking about the project as a dialogue or continuation with the existing structure, but with absolute respect and a playful, intelligent approach. We didn't want to create a jarring intervention, a transformation by contrast, but rather an improvement through understanding what already existed."
Adrià Orriols, Joan Gener, and Miquel Ruiz of h3o architects.
The intervention focused on the ground floor and adjacent outdoor areas, concentrating on three main axes: the expansion of the kitchen, the creation of a new bathroom, and the addition of new openings that bring natural light to the heart of the house. A terrace has been incorporated, visually integrated into the whole thanks to the continuity of the patio tiles.
Casa Plató by h3o architects. Photography by Simone Marcolin.
At the same time, a careful restoration of the existing heritage elements has been carried out: hydraulic tile flooring, antique radiators, moldings, and original colors, preserved as an essential part of the home's identity. This precise and meticulous intervention expands the space and modernizes only the essential elements without losing its original character.
The kitchen has remained virtually untouched, retaining the painted wooden cabinets and the marble sink. The dark flooring has been replaced with new tiles of the same color, and a white, geometrically designed range hood, a wooden shelf, and an integrated table of the same material have been added, bringing greater warmth and functionality to the space. The original tilework and furnishings coexist harmoniously with these contemporary additions, creating a domestic space that is updated yet true to its historical essence.
Casa Plató by h3o architects. Photography by Simone Marcolin.
The new bathroom, a conscious child of modernism, draws inspiration from 1930s domestic spaces and the era's hygienic ideals: white mosaic tile walls, dark flooring, a stainless steel sink, and undulating marble. The central element is a circular shower enclosed by a perimeter curtain, transforming the everyday act of showering into an almost theatrical scene. Circular mirrors, curved faucets, and period lamps complete a space with a timeless and distinctly cinematic character.
The dining room, a space that acts as a time capsule, preserving the emotional and aesthetic memory of the house, is considered the most distinctive and emblematic room in the property. It maintains intact elements such as the wallpaper, plaster moldings, hydraulic tiles, rugs, lamps, mirrors, and radiators.
Casa Plató by h3o architects. Photography by Simone Marcolin.
The garden, one of the last green spaces in the neighborhood, retains all its magic: the goose houses, the blue ceramic hoops, the whimsical fountain, and the outdoor furniture that has been there for decades. Walking along the street, you would never imagine what lies hidden behind the stone wall and iron gate.
