GRAT's proposal for the farmhouse's renovation distributes the daytime program on the ground floor, facilitating activities and enhancing the views of the landscape. Upstairs, a geometric composition rotated to the perimeter structure organizes the various bedrooms and utility spaces along a corridor.
The rear façade is opened to improve accessibility to the house, to which a new living space located in an adjacent annexe is connected via a spiral staircase.
The restoration is carried out with austere materials, using lime mortar, a characteristic of rural buildings. Local limestone, native to the area, defines the project's colour palette.
Biaix House by GRAT. Photograph by Simone Marcolin.
Project description by GRAT / Guillem Elvira
A harmonious fusion of tradition and modernity in Barcelona, Casa Biaix by GRAT combines traditional Catalan architecture with modern design, utilizing lime mortar and limestone amidst the natural landscape of inland Catalonia.
Casa Biaix is located along the Camino de Aubareda, a path that winds through fields of wheat, rapeseed, and Mediterranean forests. It stands on a small hill, amidst a pine forest and an olive grove, and just a few meters from one of the oldest holm oak trees in Barcelona.
The proposal preserves the historic exterior form of the farmhouse while introducing a new formal and material logic into its interior. It frames views of the regenerating landscape, partially transformed by a recent forest fire.
An austere lime mortar material is applied throughout the project, reintroducing a material traditionally used in rural houses. Local limestone, characteristic of inland Catalonia, defines the design's color palette.
The daytime program on the ground floor is organized to enhance visual connections with a landscape that changes throughout the seasons. Upstairs, the rooms are arranged along a diagonal corridor that shapes the distinctive interior geometry. This oblique shape is used to optimize service spaces and accommodate an additional family room.
The adjacent annex becomes a new living space, connected to the main house by a new spiral staircase. The rear facade is opened, making the house fully accessible and exposed to all winds.
