Refurbished Cottage in a Northern Catalonia Valley

Once an abandoned shepherd’s cottage, El Bosquet is now a modernized country home. The two-level structure was renovated by Arcadi Pla Masmiquel & Núria Pla Illa so that the exterior would retain the old world character and the interior would shine with contemporary elegance. The architects kept the original rock walls, terrace, and stairway at the same time that they expanded the windows and added a wooden balcony. They lined the interior walls with French oak and used sustainable materials such as clay tiles and polished concrete for the floors. To conserve energy, they designed the house to rely on fountain water and fireplace/biomass heating. The wood for the fire is sourced from the surrounding forests in Northern Catalonia, close to the Pyrenées mountains.