Rehabilitation of “Ardiaca” House
credits
Site: Barcelona
Client: Barcelona City Council
Year of Project: 1990
Building: 1997
Areas: 3800m2
location
description
In “Ca l’Ardiaca”, on the contrary to the Palau del Lloctinent, the original typology was not preserved; instead, it was an amalgamation of historical events, a result of demolitions, extensions and refurbishments which make up a thrilling history and an intriguing artistic exhibition. The historian Duran i Sampere was able to recover it as that City Archive and we tried to preserve it and add technical judgement given that part of the building was threatened by ruin. A relevant episode was to locate the research room on the upper floor of the building, benefitting from diffuse transversal light from the opposing façades. The façade onto Plaça Nova, in front of the Association of Architects, has the character of a wall and for this reason the three original towers were restored. Stretches of the wall had suffered so many changes in supporting dwellings constructed in the 18th and 19th centuries that we opted for a re-evaluation of this primitive character and we designed some straight walls, closed like a rampart, only opening occasionally. On the floor of the new research room, the narrow loopholes are functionally inclined to enable a view over the square and have lateral flaps to form a shield from the setting sun.
