The design of this three-apartment building in Barceloneta is conceived as a careful exercise in recovering the material authenticity of a modest coastal structure while adapting it to contemporary living standards. The intervention begins by stripping the building back to its essential fabric, its brick walls, lime-plastered surfaces and the characteristic timber beams that define the neighbourhood’s traditional domestic architecture. These elements, once hidden beneath layers of incongruous finishes, reappear as the primary atmospheric and structural identity of the project.

Across the three dwellings, the spatial strategy is defined by clarity and continuity. The original elongated proportion of the building is respected, allowing the sequence of rooms to remain fluid and connected, while new transversal openings enhance cross-ventilation and natural light. The design adopts a restrained palette that amplifies the tactile qualities of the existing materials. Timber beams are cleaned and repaired, their irregular texture contrasting with the smooth, continuous lime mortar applied to the walls. The new carpentry, crafted in natural wood tones, establishes a soft visual dialogue with the preserved structure, reinforcing the building’s warm and earthy character while providing precise contemporary performance. Floors are executed in polished terrazzo, poured in a single plane to unify the apartments and echo the sandy tones of Barceloneta’s shores. This neutral yet robust surface becomes a silent backdrop for everyday use and reflects light throughout the compact interiors. Kitchens and bathrooms are integrated as monolithic volumes: white cabinetry with mineral countertops and stone backsplashes that introduce a subtle degree of refinement without competing with the historic envelope. The careful integration of lighting and ventilation systems maintains the clean geometry of the ceilings, ensuring that technical elements remain discreet. At street level, the building façade is restored with respect to its original composition. Window and door openings retain their stone surrounds, while new wooden frames reinterpret the traditional proportions with contemporary detailing. The intervention upgrades the building’s environmental and functional performance, introducing new services, improving insulation, and ensuring structural stability, while preserving the familiar presence of a small Barceloneta dwelling.

The project ultimately finds its value in the balance between past and present: heritage is neither reproduced nor erased, but used as a living substrate upon which a new domestic experience is built. Through material honesty, measured contrast, and spatial clarity, the three apartments recover the quiet dignity of the original building while offering flexible, bright, and comfortable homes tailored to contemporary urban life.