Casa T Transforms Derelict Farmhouse into Modern Menorcan Retreat

Instead of starting from scratch, the project makes use of existing structures in line with the studio’s ethos to “preserve the vernacular and simple materials and construction with an important Mediterranean character”.

“The values of traditional Menorcan architecture are present in all of Gabriel Montañés’ work,” said Interior Unit’s creative director Rafa Cubarsí.

“We want to transcend the ephemeral and stand for a timeless design. It is we who must adapt to our environment and not the other way around.”

Gabriel Montañés reused and preserved pre-existing materials that are part of Menorcan building culture, instead of using new ones, such as the property’s wooden ceiling beams, traditional marés sandstone and limestone wall cladding.

“Instead of replacing them with new ones, they have been kept or recovered, preserving that unique quality of the materials that is only possible because of their age,” Cubarsí said.

Similarly, on the property’s exterior, the addition of a small swimming pool was designed to evoke traditional Spanish pools and the tiling work on the ceiling used marés, a frequently used material in the Balearic Islands.

Also outside, some of the original beams were used to craft a wooden sunshade pergola structure.

According to Cubarsí, this was an important aspect of the project as the studio intended to preserve the essence of the property by “not artificially manipulating [the original materials through a transformation]”.

“It is precisely this passage of time – known in Japan as ‘wabi sabi’ – that gives the materials a unique essence,” he added.

Some of the furniture was even created using materials recovered from the farmhouse, such as the dining room table and benches.

“They are made with stone recovered from the demolished part of the house, which actually belonged to the house,” Cubarsí explained.

Wooden slabs were added to the furniture pieces not only for a contemporary contrast, but to make them functional for inhabitants.

The existing materials are balanced out with new additions to create a space that suits the farming property structure‘s contemporary purpose without losing its identity.

According to the studio, Gabriel Montañés ensured that the spaces they designed are bright, inviting and maximised natural light while providing panoramic views of the surrounding environment.

To enhance the farmhouse’s brightness, the walls in most interior rooms were painted white, which would “foster interaction and conversation among inhabitants”.

Some additions are visible in the use of buildings materials, such as the large concrete counter that Mateo Arquitectura added to the kitchen as a focal point in the combined kitchen and dining room space.

Similarly, large windows and glass patio doors link the living room to the garden outside, providing a space for both light to soak through the room and for a seamless interconnection between interior and exterior.

According to Cubarsí, allowing the spaces to open up into each other fuses them together and helps to create a welcoming ambience.

“It is a reinterpretation and revitalisation of the traditional Menorcan farmhouse that although a ‘work of modernity’ seeks to maintain the simplicity, sensitivity and essence of the original house,” he said.

An additional opening was placed on the first floor at the top of the staircase to unite the different levels and aid the transition between the two floor. 

The project reanimates the traditional aspects of the farmhouse, providing a new purpose and identity to the spaces but remaining faithful to their contexts.

“Casa T is the perfect example of how an old property can be reinterpreted and revitalised to create a home that, although modern, is also deeply engrained within its environment and reflects the identity and spirit of the island,” Cubarsí said.

Casa T is a showcase of Gabriel Montañés’ desire to reinterpret traditional architecture and refurbish properties that may have been abandoned if not in use.

“It is precisely this aspect that gives [projects by the studio] a unique aesthetic,” Cubarsí added.

“It is about reducing and minimising the volume of the work that is done.”

The studio’s design philosophy uses older properties as a foundation for its projects, resulting in innovative, “ecological” designs that both serve a purpose and preserve tradition.