Material variety: Sant Martí House by Francesc Rifé Studio

The Sant Marti House in the Catalonian region of Valles has been renovated by Francesc Rifé Studio. The goal of the project was to transform the three-storey farmhouse and its neighbouring detached buildings into a coherent whole. To achieve this aim, a pergola with an anthracite grey finish has been installed around the farmhouse and its outbuildings.

A similarly connective principle has been applied inside the main building in order to achieve harmony and congruity, as between archaic construction materials encountered here and there, masonry primarily consisting of clay brickwork, and vaulted ceilings. To unify tonality within the farmhouse, white glaze has been applied to the walls and ceilings, and floors have been re-laid in oak.  A vaulted staircase has been retained and combined in its current form with newly-inserted modern timber elements and a solid wall banister in dark-coloured steel.

One of the neighbouring outbuildings has been repurposed as a guesthouse, whereby the original form of the side-gabled building has been retained in forming a living unit in which oak wood, concrete flooring and a generously-proportioned dining area are the primary features. Metal and glass structures delimit the former archways in the facade.

To sum up, the Sant Marti House by Francesc Rifé Studio is particularly distinguished by its endeavour to establish continuity between old and new construction materials in its search for the conditions and prerequisites for the co-existence of traditional and contemporary architecture.