Arch Support

A crumbling and deteriorating 18th-century flat in the middle of Barcelona has found new life in the hands of architect Benedetta Tagliabue. Tagliabue has allowed the history and original structure of the house to inspire her designs without creating a single sketch or model. Most of the rooms in the house are situated around a center patio which creates plenty of natural light.  The diagonal paths of colorful Andalusian tile throughout each room (see baldosa hidráulica) are an interpretation of the suns rays . And during the remodeling process, beautiful 18th century decorative murals were discovered after peeling away some of the walls. I can see how the architect let the house speak for itself. It’s truly a treasure!

(images by Gunnar Knechtel, via Dwell)

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36 Comments

  1. wow, this looks amazing!
    xo, Tina
    http://WWW.TINACIOUS.ME

    3.12.12
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  2. These interiors are gorgeous.the top two really are out of this world.

    http://Www.stylefootprints.blogspot.com

    3.12.12
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  3. style-xyz wrote:

    love, love, love!!! I want to live there 🙂

    http://style-xyz.blogspot.com/

    3.12.12
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  4. Ashley wrote:

    good lord i wanna live there

    3.12.12
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  5. Ok, seriously is this a house? A real house??? It’s dreamy and exotic! All these plats and textures and colors are just perfect! I want so badly such a house!!

    (New blog needing some love: http://inwhirlofinspiration.blogspot.com)

    3.12.12
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  6. I would love to restore a home like that. A challenge, but rewarding! Teri

    3.12.12
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  7. kate wrote:

    This is everything my apartment is not. Sigh.

    3.12.12
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  8. These are beautiful! I can’t believe there were no sketches done prior to the renovations…
    – Aliya

    http://marantphiles.com

    3.12.12
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  9. Study GRE wrote:

    Eesh, if only I could have this place! Hopefully with a blue pool, though 😛

    3.12.12
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  10. Gorgeousness all around!

    xoxo
    http://www.natashafatah.blogspot.com

    3.12.12
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  11. january wrote:

    completely gorgeous, what a gem
    january, x
    jessicajanuary.com

    3.12.12
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  12. So beautiful! And I loooove Barcelona. This place is magical!

    http://atallshipandastar.blogspot.com/

    3.12.12
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  13. alex wrote:

    wow so glad Dwell Magazine covered this amazing space! Love that they are hunting down modern design in unlikely places. Thanks Dwell!

    3.12.12
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  14. lisa wrote:

    i absolutely adore spanish tile and the colors here are amazing, so glad they left original details
    in dramatic fashion

    3.12.12
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  15. Martina wrote:

    Last year I had the honor of having a chat with Benedetta Tagliabue after a great lecture she gave. She showed us lots of photos of her projects in Barcelona and told us what was her idea about renovating old houses. When Enric Miralles and her worked together, they did greath things, but Benedetta is a master herself!

    3.12.12
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  16. Kit wrote:

    What a beautiful flat! I think I’d be frightened to live there and mess anything up, but it looks so homey at the same time as being impressive, amazing!

    3.12.12
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  17. Beautitful, so exotic and yet modern looking!
    Material Fixations

    3.12.12
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  18. Zane wrote:

    beautiful interiors

    3.12.12
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  19. I really like the tile in the second row of pics, this my be inspiration for my bathroom

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  20. That’s seriously hot. I’m trying not to be jealous here. 😀

    3.12.12
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  21. Rita Kate wrote:

    I hope you realized your boo boo. Benedetta Tagliabue is a woman. If I’m not mistaken that’s her on the front of Dwell Magazine.

    3.12.12
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  22. Eva wrote:

    OUCH! That is one gorgeous home! I love love love it! the pool is hurting my eyes cause I cant swim in it…. Wow. Truly inspiring! XXOX way to go on finding this gem…

    Xo,
    Eva

    http://www.evabstyle.blogspot.com

    3.13.12
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  23. InspireDust wrote:

    Stunning home!

    3.13.12
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  24. Wow these are beautiful!
    Ahhh I wish my house looked like this!

    http://www.thecottoncandyqueen.com/

    3.13.12
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  25. Courtney wrote:

    wow this is amazing. there’s so much life and culture in the old building. it’s beautiful

    http://thelittletexan.blogspot.com/

    3.13.12
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  26. Sakai Blue wrote:

    This is…I just…wow, beautiful.

    3.14.12
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  27. Wow what a fantastic pool x

    3.14.12
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  28. rachel wrote:

    What cool spaces.

    Vintagehoneybee.blogspot.com

    3.15.12
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  29. Alejandra wrote:

    I really love this kind of places, they give me a warm feeling and the sense that so many lovely things had happened there.

    3.15.12
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  30. Elizabeth wrote:

    so pretty. I can’t stop staring at that green whoknowswhat that looks simultaneously like a pool and a path

    3.15.12
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  31. The ceilings in pictures # 6 and #7 are absolutely amazing.

    1.31.15
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  32. Wow it looks great!

    4.12.19
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