Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

A Spanish Architect Transforms a Medieval Townhouse Into a Stunning Rental

A Spanish Architect Transforms a Medieval Townhouse Into a Stunning Rental

In the medieval city of Girona, Catalonia, a Spanish architect saves a 16th-century townhouse by converting it into a five-bedroom rental.

When Barcelona–based architect Anna Noguera stumbled upon the historic building, she was instantly intrigued by its rich heritage and ancient beauty. Determined to rescue it from further decay, Noguera, who is originally from the city of Girona, carefully restored the structure by transforming it into a vibrant vacation home.
Living Room, Bookcase, Stools, Concrete Floor, and Wood Burning Fireplace The living room is connected to a south-facing veranda.



The living room is connected to a south-facing veranda.

Because the building had been altered numerous times throughout the last 500 years, its layout was irregular and inefficient. Therefore, Noguera reconfigured the interior significantly so that the property—which is now comprised of two units—could accommodate five bedrooms.



The small medieval city of Girono sits along the River Onyar.

By creating a dialogue between ancient and contemporary, Noguera complimented the existing old stone, oak, and terracotta interior with sleek, modern materials, including dark steel and concrete.



The property has a discreet street-level garage.



A peek at the entranceway with stairs that lead to the apartment.

The smaller of the two apartments is located on the ground floor has an open plan living and dining area with new oak flooring, glass windows, massive Corten steel doors, and a slender, slate-gray kitchen that’s hidden behind a screen. Across the hallway from this communal zone are two bedrooms and a bathroom.



A staircase leads from the ground-level apartment up to the duplex.

This ground-level apartment connects to a wisteria-shaded garden and courtyard with a black concrete pool crafted from an old cistern that was found on the site.



A warm and simple bedroom with an ensuite bathroom.

The second apartment-which has a spacious light-filled living room with a double-sided fireplace-is located on the top two levels of the building.



A wisteria-shaded courtyard and garden with a dining area.



A spacious wood-decked veranda that's part of the duplex apartment.



Contemporary materials-such as concrete and steel-are a wonderful contrast to the ancient stone walls.

The living room of this unit opens onto a south-facing veranda with a fully equipped kitchen. It also has a dining terrace that looks down toward the ground-level garden and plunge pool.



A dialogue between ancient and contemporary can be seen in the bedroom.



A clean-lined bathroom of stone and concrete.



The original 16th-century stone walls are left exposed in the kitchen.



A narrow doorway evokes the warren-like feel of the original layout.



An old cistern found on the original site is now a black concrete pool.



The children's bedroom with pullout storage.

Guests interested in staying in this transformed townhouse can rent the entire home or each of the units individually through BoutiqueHomes.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
×