Concrete and glass anchor renovation by LOBB Studio
LOBB Studio renovates a two-story ground floor in Les Escales Park by Josep Lluís Sert Barcelonamaintaining the exposure of the building concrete structure and vaulted panels while restoring the original glazing ceramics and introducing new materials such as red microcement, travertine, natural oakand a three meter panel of Onyx Picasso marble.
Designed by Josep Lluís Sert and completed in 1974, Les Escales Park received the FAD Architecture Award that same year. Fifty years later, LOBB Studio undertook the renovation of one of the complex’s ground floor duplex apartments in the Pedralbes area of Barcelona. The residential complex is based on the repetition of a single unit consisting of two two-story apartments, based on the prototype of Le Corbusier’s Villa Immeubles. Each apartment is defined by two blind side walls, with social areas oriented to the south and service areas to the north.
The architectural character of the building is defined by exposed concrete pillars and vaulted precast slabs, combined with elements of local tradition such as Mallorcan shutters, ceramic tiles with green and ocher glazes from La Bisbal and white stone cladding. The renovation preserves this material and structural framework while rethinking the organization of the house according to the current needs of the occupants.
the original facade of Les Escales Park with its green and ocher glazed ceramics | all images ©Ariadna Puigdomènech
The Open Plan reorganizes the Duplex around a sculptural staircase
On the ground floor, the removal of the dividing walls creates a continuous interior that includes the kitchen, dining room and two living areas arranged around a central core. The open layout takes advantage of the privacy provided by the surrounding centuries-old forest, creating visual and physical connections between the north and south facades. The service kitchen, laundry and guest bathroom remain closed.
A generous entrance combines travertine flooring with natural oak parquet and leads to the main staircase. Treated as a sculptural element, the staircase is finished in red microcement, referencing the color of the vestibule walls in Sert’s original design. Next to it is a Joan Miró lithograph from the owners’ collection.
Upstairs, the original number of bedrooms is retained, with rooms adapted to the requirements of the current occupants. The renovation by LOBB Studio it also restores architectural details that were silenced or altered by previous interventions. In the center of the floor plan, a double-height void connects the two floors. A three meter high panel of natural Onyx Picasso marble occupies this space, its tones chosen to match the original glazed ceramics while emphasizing the verticality of the interior.
the sculptural staircase, clad in red microcement, recalls the vestibule of Sert’s original building
The two-level terrace extends the Duplex into its forest
The renovation extends outside via a two-level terrace. The double-height covered section retains and restores the original ceramic tiles before opening onto an uncovered terrace that connects to the surrounding forest. Clay tile flooring, a metal pergola wrapped in wooden slats and creepers, and Mediterranean planting set the scene for the outdoor space, which incorporates an outdoor kitchen and several living areas.
The project combines the preservation of Sert’s original structure and material language with a revised spatial organization and a modern palette. Exposed concrete, vaulted ceilings, glazed ceramics and vernacular architectural elements remain at the heart of the apartment, while red micro-cement, travertine, oak and natural onyx introduce new material layers that enhance existing forms and adapt the duplex to contemporary domestic use.
red lacquered staircase, Miró lithograph and Oluce ‘Atollo’ brass lamp mark the transition to the house
