Bright apartment in a former hotel in the north of Spain

Red, blue, light blue, pink, orange — in this old apartment in the north of Spain, bright colors are found at every step. With the help of color, the duo Acha Zaballa Architects combined the historical interiors of the Art Nouveau house and modernity

Photo

Luis Diaz Diaz

This unusual apartment is located in the Joyous House, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in Castro Urdiales, a seaside town in northern Spain. Part of its charm is in the views from the windows of the historic harbor, high ceilings and the abundance of light pouring from the large windows.

And another part was added after the reconstruction conducted by local architects Cristina Acha and Miguel Zaballa from Acha Zaballa Architects. They used bright colors and non-standard solutions (kitchen-arch, for example) to emphasize the architectural heritage of the house that was once a hotel.

Photo

Luis Diaz Diaz

Photo

Luis Diaz Diaz

During the reconstruction process, the architects chose a restrained approach, preserving as many historical details in the interiors as possible and changing as little as possible. And the color accents helped to connect the past and the present.

Photo

Luis Diaz Diaz

Photo

Luis Diaz Diaz

The house was built in the early twentieth century by the architect Leonardo Rucabado as a hotel**,** was one of the first examples of early Art Nouveau in the city. The apartment with high ceilings and windows is located on the second floor — overlooking three sides, including the harbor. Although there are many neoclassical details in the interiors, such as plaster moldings, wooden panels, doors with panels and decorative fireplace grilles, features of early Art Nouveau can be found in the layout unique for that time: the architect made a number of rooms of the same size instead of the traditional suite and the front living room.

Photo

Luis Diaz Diaz

Photo

Luis Diaz Diaz

The architects preserved the layout of the apartment in its original form and restored many details of the Art Nouveau era, damaged or lost over time. They recreated wooden floors, found vintage tiles and bathroom fixtures, stucco elements and decorative pilasters.

Photo

Luis Diaz Diaz

Photo

Luis Diaz Diaz

Photo

Luis Diaz Diaz

Cristina and Miguel balanced the principle of minimal constructive intervention with bright colors in the spirit of pop art. Selectively applied color accents emphasize historical elements and at the same time create a sense of modernity and playfulness. The entrance hall doors, painted in cherry color, stand out against the background of white walls, in one of the three bedrooms a restored wardrobe with wooden panels is complemented by a door painted in bright blue, and in the kitchen an old built-in wardrobe was updated with red paint.

Photo

Luis Diaz Diaz

Photo

Luis Diaz Diaz

Photo

Luis Diaz Diaz

In the kitchen with a red floor to match the closet, decorative tiles on the walls and a ceiling of a pale blue shade, the architects allowed themselves to play with the modern style more than in other interiors. They came up with an unusual kitchen with an arch frame, which has built-in lighting, a dark green marble countertop and an apron.

Photo

Luis Diaz Diaz

Photo

Luis Diaz Diaz

Photo

Luis Diaz Diaz

Photo

Luis Diaz Diaz

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