Barcelona's Brutalist Apartment Exhibits an Unanticipated Tenderness and Delicacy
Nestled among the echoes of the past in one of the satellite neighborhoods of Sant Gervasi, Bonanova, and Pedralbes, lies a 170 sq m apartment that has undergone a remarkable transformation. This renovated space, known as the Barros Apartment, is a testament to the evolution of Brutalist architecture and contemporary design, skillfully reimagined by Cometa Architects in 2024.
The apartment, dating back to the 1970s, is located in the Pedralbes district, a neighborhood where the Brutalist style is evident in many buildings, with solid brick facades serving as a cultural and economic symbol in Catalonia. The architects, drawn to the apartment's less glorified period in architecture - the brutalist movement of the 1950s and 60s - sought to preserve the building's Brutalist roots while infusing it with modern, airy interiors suited for contemporary living.
Cometa Architects' approach to the Barros Apartment was to create a space that feels like a soft almond cushion, inviting and enveloping, with pure, extra-matte finishes. To achieve this, they selectively enhanced the interior with handmade dark magma clay bricks, contrasting with cava-colored elements and natural light to create openness and fluidity within the space.
One of the most striking features of the renovated apartment is the kitchen, crafted from dark milled wood and incorporating an unusual kitchen essential - a bookcase. Brick was used as a binding element, integrating piping with new storage, a TV unit, and a wine cooler, demonstrating a balance between Brutalist structural honesty and modern family needs.
The architects found the balcony's large brick element and neighboring facade to be a quiet dialogue, inviting them to use the architecture and its brick. As a tribute to the heritage of the building, they applied a skin of handmade, uneven magma clay bricks, creating a quiet canvas for custom woodwork, micro-cement, and soft-toned paint to blend seamlessly.
The brutalist architecture project presented some challenges during renovation, such as the presence of rough darker elements and pipes weaving chaotically through the apartment. However, the team turned these obstacles into design opportunities, using them to serve as subtle reminders that even within the softest embrace, there is always a darker core.
One of the key purchase attractions for the client was the apartment's large windows, nearly impossible to find in central Barcelona. The main balcony window was transformed into a full-height, full-width glass sheet that disappears completely, offering breathtaking views of Antoni Gaudi's gatehouses and Jardines de Pedralbes park.
The living area accommodates a custom-made 7m long sofa, upholstered in a 'Swedish blue' fabric, and the space is designed to guide visitors' movements with light, without the need for reflective surfaces. The apartment, with its blend of historical values in architectural heritage and current trends in adaptive reuse, focuses on light, openness, and multifunctional living spaces while respecting the original materials and structural expression.
In conclusion, the Barros Apartment is a shining example of Brutalist evolution and contemporary renovation in Pedralbes, Barcelona. It showcases the beauty and functionality of Brutalist architecture while meeting the needs of modern living, offering a unique blend of the old and the new.
The Barros Apartment, tucked away in the Pedralbes district, serves as a showcase for the evolution of Brutalist architecture, with its handmade dark magma clay bricks and modern, light-filled interiors appealing to contemporary lifestyles. Incorporating elements of home-and-garden design, the kitchen features a bookcase and the balcony boasts a transformation into a large window that opens to the surrounding home-and-garden, offering views of Jardines de Pedralbes park. Interior-design elements, such as the custom-made 7m long sofa in 'Swedish blue' fabric, seamlessly blend with the historical values of Brutalist architecture, resulting in a unique fusion of the old and the new that caters to modern living styles.
