Casa Carders by a53 Architecture

Casa Carders is an attic refurbishment project by a53 Architecture to maintain the two bedrooms downstairs, create a wider open space for the kitchen with a dining room and a living room, and transform the storage room into a third bedroom upstairs.

Architect: a53 Architecture
Collaborators: OAK 2000 - Nicolás Fotografía
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Year: 2017
Area: 51 sqm

From the architects: The project involved the refurbishment of an attic, in one of the oldest neighborhoods of Barcelona, la Ribera. Located on the corner of two pedestrian streets, the apartment’s potential was enhanced by its two terraces, the views towards the city, its numerous windows, its wooden beams, its ceramic tiles and its wooden joinery.

The original layout of the apartment consisted of a 42m2 floor plan with a 17m2 terrace on the floor lever and a 40m2 terrace on the upper floor with a 8m2 storage room. This layout generated small spaces downstairs, while the upper level terrace was empty and unformed.

The target was to maintain the two bedrooms downstairs, create a wider open space for the kitchen with a dining room and a living room, and transform the storage room into a third bedroom upstairs.

We decided to create a smaller and lower volume, as part of the bathroom, and organize the space around it, in order to offer an unobstructed view of the existing wooden beams, while also separating the kitchen/dining room from the living room with a direct access to the small terrace.

Part of the dividing interior wall between the two bedrooms was demolished to make room for the wardrobes, while also part of the brick wall inside the big bedroom was exposed and restored to its former beauty, to add character to the room. We restored both the wooden beams and the wooden exterior and interior joinery to reveal their charm.

We dismantled the parquet and created a new pavement plan by combining the cement floor with the apartment’s original ceramic tiles which were in good enough condition.

The whole surface of the terrace was insulated and the exterior façades were restored. We used a frameless glass railing with no discernible visual joints in order to provide unobstructed views to the city’s skyline and to create the perfect windbreak.

Existing floor plan

Project floor plan

Project terrace plan

> X House: Amazing single family house in Barcelona
> Horizon Apartment: Luxury apartment in Spain