raúl sánchez introduces stainless steel into a 19th century house in Spain

Raúl Sánchez introduces a new layer into a 19th century narrative

In Mataró, nearby Barcelona, Spainarchitect Raul Sanchez reconstructions home of pirates, residence It was originally commissioned in the 19th century by the corsair Antoni Cuyàs, introducing a precise contemporary layer to its richly decorated interiors. The intervention focuses on the main domestic rooms, where painted ceilings, decorative tapestries and heritage portraits are preserved, allowing the historical atmosphere of the residence to remain fully present.

Today, the house is inhabited by Cuyàs’ descendants, who have tried to adapt the historic interiors to a contemporary live-work routine. The project focuses on three rooms that retain original elements, reorganizing them to support both domestic life and daily work without compromising their character.

A stainless steel steel plinth that runs along the perimeter of the rooms, thickening to accommodate seating, desks, storage and technical systems. By reducing the intervention to a single continuous element, the design avoids the fragmentation often associated with interior renovations, allowing the contemporary layer to remain legible as a precise function. Its reflective surface captures fragments of existing interiors, establishing a dialogue between the polished and the aged, the precise and the irregular.

all images from Jose Chevia

stainless steel “pier” anchors the pirate’s house in Mataró, Spain

Instead of restoring the surfaces to a pristine state, the Design practice based in Barcelona embraces wear and tear as part of the architectural language. Cracks, uneven textures and traces of previous changes remain visible on ceilings, walls and floors, placing time itself as an active layer within the work. Raúl Sánchez’s approach avoids turning the house into a static reconstruction, allowing it to function as a multilayered environment where different moments coexist without hierarchy.

Mirrored panels extend the spatial depth, doubling the ornate ceilings and incorporating historical elements into the new intervention. A mirrored cabinet hides a glossy yellow lacquered interior, introducing a vibrant color counterpoint to the muted tones of the existing fabric. Splashes of color, alongside built-in furniture, create a contemporary rhythm that contrasts with the historic enclosure, while supporting a flexible use of space across all living and working functions.

The existing terracotta floors are consolidated through a resin treatment, while the new installations are discreetly routed behind the steel plinth, keeping the ceilings and walls free of visible systems. The technical complexity of the intervention remains largely invisible, allowing the spatial experience to foreground the dialogue between old and new. By concentrating her intervention on a single material system and leaving the rest largely untouched, Raúl Sánchez Architects frames heritage as an evolving condition, extending Cuyàs’ legacy into the present.

allowing traces of time to co-exist with new interferences