Renovation and extension of an Art Nouveau housing block. Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes
06/02/2024.
[BCN] Spain
metalocus, ANA GARCÍA LUJÁN
metalocus, ANA GARCÍA LUJÁN
Architecture studio, Bach Arquitectes, was commissioned to design the renovation and expansion of Casa Alesan, one of the most emblematic residential buildings on Paseo de Sant Joan in the city of Barcelona, Spain.
The architect Enric Fatjó i Torras was initially commissioned to develop the original design, notable for its decorative art, for Dolors Alesan in 1902.
The exterior façade is composed of stucco, stone sculpture, metalwork, and stained glass, while the interior common areas stand out the entrance and the skylight on the roof and in the homes, the hydraulic floors, the decorated plaster ceilings and the galleries on both façades.
The architect Enric Fatjó i Torras was initially commissioned to develop the original design, notable for its decorative art, for Dolors Alesan in 1902.
The exterior façade is composed of stucco, stone sculpture, metalwork, and stained glass, while the interior common areas stand out the entrance and the skylight on the roof and in the homes, the hydraulic floors, the decorated plaster ceilings and the galleries on both façades.
Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes. Photograph by Eugeni Bach.
Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes. Photograph by Eugeni Bach.
Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes. Photograph by Eugeni Bach.
Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes. Photograph by Eugeni Bach.
Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes. Photograph by Eugeni Bach.
Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes. Photograph by Eugeni Bach.
Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes. Photograph by Eugeni Bach.
Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes. Photograph by Eugeni Bach.
Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes. Photograph by Eugeni Bach.
Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes. Photograph by Eugeni Bach.
Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes. Photograph by Eugeni Bach.
Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes. Photograph by Eugeni Bach.
Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes. Photograph by Eugeni Bach.
Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes. Photograph by Eugeni Bach.
Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes. Photograph by Eugeni Bach.
Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes. Photograph by Eugeni Bach.
Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes. Photograph by Eugeni Bach.
Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes. Photograph by Eugeni Bach.
Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes. Photograph by Eugeni Bach.
Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes. Photograph by Eugeni Bach.
Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes. Photograph by Eugeni Bach.
Site plan. Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes.
Underground floor plan. Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes.
Ground floor plan. Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes.
Type floor plan. Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes.
Fourth floor plan. Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes.
Fifth floor plan. Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes.
Shared spaces floor plan. Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes.
Section A. Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes.
Shared spaces sections. Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes.
Extension section. Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes.
Frontal elevation. Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes.
Rear elevation. Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes.
Constructive section. Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes.
Constructive section. Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes.
Details. Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes.
Details. Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes.
Details. Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes.
The new building program designed by Bach Arquitectes consists of 16 homes, where there were previously 8, and two new duplexes located in the roof extension. At the same time, the decorative elements, the façade, and the common spaces are rehabilitated, preserving the identity of the property after generating a dialogue between the extension and the existing.
Inside the homes, the original floors and ceilings are maintained, working with volumes that do not cover all the light on the floor for redistribution and allow the perimeter to be transformed. The application volume is proposed with a certain abstraction, giving rise to a façade of vertical stoneware slats with a half-circular section with a chromatic similarity to the façade of the original building on which it rests.
Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes. Photograph by Eugeni Bach.
Description of project by Bach Arquitectes
Casa Alesan is, along with the neighbouring “Palau Macaya” by Josep Puig i Cadafalch, one of the most emblematic properties on Barcelona’s Sant Joan Boulevard. Commissioned by Dolors Alesan in 1902 to architect Enric Fatjó i Torras, the estate stands out for its decorative arts both on the façade and in the interiors. Stucco, stone sculpture, metalwork and stained glass form a façade of beautiful 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 interior of the apartments preserves the hydraulic floors and most of the plaster decoration ceilings, as well as beautiful galleries both on the façade and on the interior of the block.
The project consists of the restoration, refurbishment and extension of the property with a new program of 16 apartments and two newly created two story flats to top off the building. In that regard, the biggest challenge of the project was how to go from 8 to 18 apartments and at the same time preserve the character of the property and restore all the decorative elements that make it so special without distorting the original spaces. An added challenge was increasing the building with two top floors while generating a dialogue between the new and the existing volumes.
Alesan House by Bach Arquitectes. Photograph by Eugeni Bach.
To achieve this, the project restores the building's facades and common spaces, through a rigorous exercise of surveying and cataloguing all the elements. Inside the apartments, the new distribution preserves the perimeter of the floors and ceilings, working with volumes that do not reach the height, so that we can modify the perimeter of the spaces without distorting the original floors and ceilings.
Regarding the extension of the property, with two apartments in its upper part, the solution involves creating a new volume with a certain level of abstraction that, in the solution of the details, appears slightly separated from the original building. This volume is proposed with a façade made with vertical circular ceramic slats, that provides lightness to the volume and at the same time establishes a chromatic relationship with the property on which it rests, as well as with the lantern of the neighbouring “Palau Macaya”.
More information
Architects
BACH. Lead architects.- Jaume Bach, Anna & Eugeni Bach.
Project team
Project architect.- Roger Molas.
Studio architects.- Laura Alconero, Verónica Amorós, Mário Sousa, Silvia Ripoll, Clara Sanfeliu.
Studio architects.- Laura Alconero, Verónica Amorós, Mário Sousa, Silvia Ripoll, Clara Sanfeliu.
Collaborators
Structure.- Masala Consultors.
MEP.- Atres80.
Project management and quantity surveyor.- BetArq.
MEP.- Atres80.
Project management and quantity surveyor.- BetArq.
Developer
Casa Alesan, SL.
Builder
UCSA.
Area
Constructed area.- 2,450 m².
Surface area per floor.- 340 m².
Housing area original floors.- 80 m².
Duplex housing area extension.- 190 m².
Surface area per floor.- 340 m².
Housing area original floors.- 80 m².
Duplex housing area extension.- 190 m².
Dates
December 2023.
Location
Passeig de Sant Joan, 110, Barcelona, Spain.
Manufacturers
Carpenter.- Carpintería Prodecarp, S.L.
Ceramic Materials.- Catalonia cerámica, S.A.
Marbles.- Copedra, S.L.
Faucets.- Diseño icónico, S.L.
Metal work and structure.- Metalistería barceló, S.L.
Old colour glasses.- Metaphora vitralls, S.L.
Wooden windows.- Noagar, S.L.
General Installations.- Pecunio instalaciones, S.L.
Hydraulic Pavements.- Pinar miró, S.L.
Façade and interior restorations.- Stuc-art, S.L.
Kitchen Furniture.- Santos.
Upper flats kitchen furniture.- Sbulthaup.
Home appliances.- Siemens.
Faucets.- Iconico.
Upper flats faucets.- Vola.
Lights.- Viabizzuno.
Aluminium windows.- Technal (modelos Unicity y Galene).
Shades.- Gradhermetic.
Ceramic Materials.- Catalonia cerámica, S.A.
Marbles.- Copedra, S.L.
Faucets.- Diseño icónico, S.L.
Metal work and structure.- Metalistería barceló, S.L.
Old colour glasses.- Metaphora vitralls, S.L.
Wooden windows.- Noagar, S.L.
General Installations.- Pecunio instalaciones, S.L.
Hydraulic Pavements.- Pinar miró, S.L.
Façade and interior restorations.- Stuc-art, S.L.
Kitchen Furniture.- Santos.
Upper flats kitchen furniture.- Sbulthaup.
Home appliances.- Siemens.
Faucets.- Iconico.
Upper flats faucets.- Vola.
Lights.- Viabizzuno.
Aluminium windows.- Technal (modelos Unicity y Galene).
Shades.- Gradhermetic.
Photography
Eugeni Bach.
Jaume Bach Núñez
Jaume Bach Núñez was born in Sabadell in 1943. He studied at the Escola Tècnica Superior de Arquitectura de Barcelona, graduating in 1969, and receiving the degree of Doctor of Architecture and Professor. He has taught Composition and Architectural Projects at this university since 1970 and he is a member of the ETSAB’s Final Projects Jury.
In 1965 he worked as a student collaborator in the studio MBM, and later in Correa and Milá studio. He began his professional activity in 1968 combining Architecture with Urbanism; it was in the 80s when he founded the Bach / Mora society and later in 1988 Bach Arquitectes S.L.P. He has been a visiting professor in public institutions and Architecture Schools such as Hannover, Urbino, Torino, Vienna, Bucharest and Dublin.
He has given numerous seminars and lectures over Spain, and internationally in Germany, Austria, France, Holland, Italy, Slovenia, England, Ireland, Finland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, United States, India, Argentina, Brasil, Mexico, Venezuela and Chile. As a jury member, he has been present in the 1995 FAD Awards, the “Piranesi Prize” of Architecture (Slovenia), and the International Competition of Young Architects of Guadalajara (Mexico) among others. He is an honorary member of the Board of Trustees of the Contemporary Art Museum of Caracas.
In 1965 he worked as a student collaborator in the studio MBM, and later in Correa and Milá studio. He began his professional activity in 1968 combining Architecture with Urbanism; it was in the 80s when he founded the Bach / Mora society and later in 1988 Bach Arquitectes S.L.P. He has been a visiting professor in public institutions and Architecture Schools such as Hannover, Urbino, Torino, Vienna, Bucharest and Dublin.
He has given numerous seminars and lectures over Spain, and internationally in Germany, Austria, France, Holland, Italy, Slovenia, England, Ireland, Finland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, United States, India, Argentina, Brasil, Mexico, Venezuela and Chile. As a jury member, he has been present in the 1995 FAD Awards, the “Piranesi Prize” of Architecture (Slovenia), and the International Competition of Young Architects of Guadalajara (Mexico) among others. He is an honorary member of the Board of Trustees of the Contemporary Art Museum of Caracas.
Anna Bach, Eugeni Bach. Anna and Eugeni Bach
Anna & Eugeni Bach is an architecture studio founded in 1999 by Anna Bach and Eugeni Bach. The study operates in a broad spectrum of design, from urban planning and architecture to interior and object design.
Anna Bach, Nummi, Finland, 1973. Architect by the Helsinki University of Technology, 2001. Visitant professor at 'Taller Vertical' in ESARQ UIC, Barcelona, directed by Duncan Lewis (1999). PDI Professor in EINA – Univeristy Center of Design and Art in Barcelona, Universitat Autónoma de Bellaterra, Barcelona (2008 – currently).
Eugeni Bach, Barcelona, Spain 1974. Architect by the ETSAB, UPC, 1999. Visitant professor at 'Taller Vertical' in ESARQ UIC, Barcelona, directed by Duncan Lewis (1999). Proffesor in the Mies van der Rohe Chair, ETSAB UPC, under the direction of David Chipperfield (2001). Projects Proffesor in La Salle School of Architecture, Universitat Ramon Llull, Barcelona (2005 - currently).
Anna Bach, Nummi, Finland, 1973. Architect by the Helsinki University of Technology, 2001. Visitant professor at 'Taller Vertical' in ESARQ UIC, Barcelona, directed by Duncan Lewis (1999). PDI Professor in EINA – Univeristy Center of Design and Art in Barcelona, Universitat Autónoma de Bellaterra, Barcelona (2008 – currently).
Eugeni Bach, Barcelona, Spain 1974. Architect by the ETSAB, UPC, 1999. Visitant professor at 'Taller Vertical' in ESARQ UIC, Barcelona, directed by Duncan Lewis (1999). Proffesor in the Mies van der Rohe Chair, ETSAB UPC, under the direction of David Chipperfield (2001). Projects Proffesor in La Salle School of Architecture, Universitat Ramon Llull, Barcelona (2005 - currently).
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