A house within a house: Historic Sant Cugat's hidden gem

Josep Ferrando's modern interior design is in line with the house's contemporary rear façade

(Image credit: Josep Ferrando)

last updated 20 October 2022

Creating a comfortable family home that effectively deals with site restrictions and a sensitive cultural and historical context - while remaining innovative and aesthetically consistent - is a challenge for any architect. And yet, Barcelona-based Josep Ferrando's latest house in Spain's Sant-Cugat - a Catalan town known for its rich cultural heritage - does just that.

Casa Sant-Cugat is a hidden gem within a historical hub. The architect kept the existing street façade and it is only when entering the house that the contrast between old and new becomes visible. With this project, construction and preservation issues were present from the word go, and it seemed that a constant battle between finding structural solutions and creating a beautiful home would be inevitable. The house's external façade and roof were listed, so no changes were possible there. At the same time, the building had to be less than five metres wide and had to deal with a complex topography, as the site was constrained between two streets with a considerable level difference.

Interiors spread across four levels. A void runs through each floor.&nbsp;

Take an interactive tour of House in Cugat

The solution is found within the house's clever internal arrangement. A new structure made from concrete blocks was built inside the original historical one, fitted between the neighbouring houses' walls. Three distinct volumes were created within; one acts as a storage space, another is dedicated to circulation and the third hosts all the primary rooms. The architect used a Raumplan model internally - this is a layout method that works with individual rooms, instead of open plan spaces, and creates a balance of discreet and dynamic areas in the house. Interiors spread across four levels. A void runs through each floor.

Laminated wooden panels and the L-shaped metal profiles holding them define the interior. The wood is left exposed throughout the house creating a warm and comfortable environment. The height difference between the floors generates views across levels and allows light to penetrate everywhere. The void that runs through the upper levels helps with that, while also acting as the house's heart and main public area.

The architect was not allowed to touch the front fa&ccedil;ade and the roof, as they are both listed — The architect was not allowed to touch the front façade and the roof, as they are both listed

Planning regulations and the plot's narrow shape meant that the building could not be any larger than five metres wide

The house's first floor features an open space that encompases a kitchen, breakfast bar and dinning area

The interiors feature laminated wood panels that are left exposed

Natural sunlight penetrates the building through openings such as the wooden doors on the ground floor that lead out to the rear garden

While the kitchen's wooden panels are left exposed, in keeping with the overall interior style, some finishes, like cupboards, feature colour

One of the house's voids cuts through the kitchen making the space feel bigger

The interplay between the superimposed wood and the exposed concrete structure create a playful contrast

The bespoke wooden shelving running across one of the main walls of the house, means that it has ample storage for the children's toys and books

A central void at the heart of the building unites spaces across different floors

The third floor contains the house's bedrooms and bathrooms - the latter enclosed in a house-shaped explosed wood construction

A level difference between the front and rear of the long and narrow plot gave the architect an added challenge

The area of Sant Cugat is renowed for its history and culture, so preserving the house's historical elements was essential