This was one of the first interventions in an ambitious project –carried out by several architects– for the restoration, remodeling, and refurbishment of the various pavilions of the Hospital de Sant Pau in Barcelona, a 1901 construction by architect Domènech i Montaner and his disciples. In our intervention in the former Casa de Convalescència –apart from the purely restoration work– two interventions stand out:

One was the rehabilitation of the entire basement floor –covered by graceful Catalan vaults– which had been used as a parking area and was repurposed as an attractive library. The other was the extension of the imperial staircase, which led to the noble floor but ended there. The second floor was only accessible via service staircases that spanned the monumental height of the main floor. These stairs were narrow, confusing to access, and did not comply with evacuation regulations. For this reason, we decided to extend the generous imperial staircase, employing a completely different language: an airy metal structure with glass flooring.