Instead of confronting the problem as a disease, the project of David Estal begins with a thorough study of the behaviour of the building from its integral health, thus avoiding the typical structural metal reinforcement.
The house concealed a complex structural ingenuity that could not be maintained in the renovation. It was decided to give continuity to the structural personality of the building, but adapting it to the current solutions: the initial solid brick partition walls arranged edgewise were renovated in steelframing, with a more diaphanous layout but mantainign the corners, while the wooden elements were replaced with new wood.
Description of project by David Estal
This story begins twenty years ago with the persevering struggle of three old sisters (les ties) to defend their respective homes, each one situated on top of the other, to form a three-storey family building on the main street of Cabanyal: La Reina, which, like so many other century-old Art Nouveau buildings, were threatened with demolition simply so that the city would 'reach' the sea.
In 2015, when the plan was repealed and the neighbourhood was saved, the current and young owner of the house on the first floor decided to renovate it with one condition: to reuse as many elements of the house as possible. For example, hydraulic floors and interior carpentries. Decision taken not only for pleasure, but above all, for an emotional reason: in honor of the family to which he also belongs, all original from El Cabanyal.
However, what seemed to have been said and done was not going to be so simple. At this time, a battalion of stealthy termites were making their way, eating and leaving holes everywhere, thus tremendously weakening the traditional forged wooden beams and ceramic beam fill, until they almost disappeared. There are people in the neighbourhood who say that this endemic evil begins in the year 57 with the fateful 'riuà' (flooding of the city when the river overflows towards the sea). Be that as it may, personally and as an architect, it was the first time that I was confronted with this pathology of structural scope. Thus I began to learn about subterranean termite mounds, perimeter barriers, baits, resistographies, curative-preventive treatments, beta systems, and so on.
Thus, the architectural intervention goes beyond the limits of the interior of the dwelling in question to face the challenge of partial structural rehabilitation, focusing on remaking the slabs and galleries flown towards the interior courtyard occupied by different improper elements.
However, instead of confronting the problem like a disease, before we get down to work, we dedicate ourselves conscientiously to understanding how this building behaves from the point of view of its integral health and thus avoiding the typical structural metal reinforcement. In this way (step by step), we discovered that the double bay of the building was not only maintained by the slender beams of almost five metres (too much), but that the solid brick partition walls arranged edgewise had entered into charge, working as mullions and braced with false and hollow pilasters. All an ingenuity superimposed, although precarious that could not be maintained with the renovation of the house. The decision was to continue with the structural personality that defines this construction, but adapted to the current solutions that, in turn, would allow more diaphanous spaces to be opened (although maintaining corners) and that the wood would continue to be wood. It was therefore decided that the new partition walls would be made of steelframing.
In the interior refurbishment, a collage of restored doors makes way for the different rooms, receiving passing light from the east and west, giving the house a Mediterranean atmosphere combined with an emotional and familiar past. And, the most important thing: although the building has undergone a thorough medical check-up, the dwelling does not exhibit structural boasts, orthopaedics, prostheses or excessive musculature, just a warm space to be re-inhabited.
