Restoration of Artés Museum by Vats Space and Santamaria Arquitectes

The Restoration of Artés Museum in Artés, Spain, is a meticulous architectural intervention by Santamaria Arquitectes, curated to preserve historical authenticity while enhancing visitor experience. Located in a building attached to the Museum of Arts, the structure features an irregular floor plan with two opposing facades, encompassing a basement, ground floor, and three upper levels. Previous consolidation phases strengthened the building structurally, including the installation of an exterior staircase and elevator along the north façade, setting the foundation for this adaptive restoration.

Adaptive Reuse and Renovation Strategy

The 2024 project spans 197 m² and aims to rehabilitate the museum’s basement, ground floor, and attic floors, ensuring compliance with modern accessibility and safety regulations. The renovation introduces carefully designed facilities and refined finishes to make all areas visitable, merging functional modernization with heritage preservation.

A key intervention is the creation of a spacious open-plan ground floor with direct access from Roca Street, enhancing public engagement and circulation. A sleek metal staircase connects the ground floor to a loft, which in turn links visitors to the building’s upper levels and an adjacent structure via an underground passage. The basement is thoughtfully adapted to become fully accessible, enriching the museum’s exhibition potential.

Highlighting Historical Elements

Central to the project is the conservation of nine 18th-century vats and two wells, historically significant elements that reflect the building’s rural and wine-growing heritage. These features are accentuated through a perforated sheet metal floor, which allows natural light to illuminate the vats and wells from above, creating a dynamic interplay of light and shadow. Additionally, a 15th-century section of the south wall, composed of a series of recovered arches, has been restored, adding historical depth and narrative to the museum’s architectural fabric.

The project balances heritage conservation with contemporary architectural solutions, creating a dialogue between old and new. Beams, columns, and exposed brick are carefully preserved and integrated into the design, maintaining the authenticity of the original structure while providing a safe, functional, and immersive museum experience.

Architectural and Cultural Significance

The Restoration of Artés Museum stands as a model of adaptive reuse and cultural preservation. By respecting historical elements such as the vats, wells, and ancient arches, while incorporating modern interventions for accessibility and exhibition design, the project reinforces the museum’s role as a key cultural landmark in Artés. It exemplifies how thoughtful architectural restoration can celebrate historical heritage while meeting contemporary functional demands.

All photographs are works of  Judith Casas