Estancia San José Highlights Minorcan Spirit

Atelier du Pont has completed a renovation of a centuries-old house in Menorca. The structure, previously a ruin, forms part of the Estancia San José estate.

Spanning 76 hectares, the estate also includes a traditional stone “boi” barn, dating back to the 1860s. The barn has also been renovated, and the resulting buildings have a combined area of 300 square metres.

Atelier du Pont and local studio ARU Arquitectura worked together on the project, carefully renovating existing pieces and creating an addition that feels sympathetic to the architectural heritage.

Tiles found throughout the house were collected from what was left in the ruin, and French architects Anne-Cécile Comar and Philippe Croisier also incorporated termite-eaten beams, keeping them as they were.

“The architecture of the two adjoining buildings is fairly characteristic of the region,” Croisier explained. “Several elements already present on the site guided the architects in their choices.”

“These different elements led us to imagine a place that blends raw materials with a more contemporary, expected and invigorating look,” Comar added.

One key area is the kitchen, where the use of an acid yellow shade highlights other elements around it.

Rendering and cladding throughout was carefully chosen to be in keeping with the area’s building traditions, as is the shape and colour of the stone facade and the window frame shape and placement.

Finishes in the interiors include “mixtures of lime and render and a lot of exposed stone”, which reflect the traditional methods used in the region.

The colour palette is largely natural and earthy, aside from some highlights of colour – in addition to the kitchen, one of the dining tables has acid budget framing, while tiles in various locations are hued in more vivid colours, including blues and greens.

According to the studio, another key aspect of the project was integrating Minorcan culture, an effort achieved by using local materials and craftspeople.

Comar and Croisier also worked with Mallorca Makes, a collective aimed to promote the traditional techniques of artisans in the area.

“We have also incorporated typical elements such as different types of rendering and textures,” Comar said. “The architectural duo also chose to preserve the particularity of the exclusive traditional stone walls.”

One such element, a headboard in a bedroom, was woven by Mallorcan craftspeople Pedro and Mariona. This is not the first time they worked together, as Pedro and Mariona also created headboards for the pair’s other projects in Menorca.

“The work of the hand is also always present and deliberately left visible,” she continued. “We have chosen to carefully curate exceptional pieces to bring the place to life and tell a story.”

For the furnishings, Atelier du Pont created a number of pieces, including bedside tables and side tables made of terracotta and wrapped in rope, as well as basins and some of the tiles.

The overall shape of the building is dictated by what already stood, plus the requirement of facade preservation on one side.

One initial idea that fell by the wayside was a courtyard in front of the house and L-shaped plan, instead, a yard circles the entire estate.

“For the outdoor, the choice here was for a natural garden surrounded by garrigue and wild olive trees,” Cormar said.

Estancia San José is one of a number of new properties on Menorca, which has seen a rejuvenation as a luxury destination.