Can Santacilia, a 3,300 m² residential building with 15 apartments and common areas, is a careful renovation of two adjoining buildings located in the heart of Palma de Mallorca’s old town.
Known in Spanish as El Casco Antiguo, Palma de Mallorca’s old town houses many of the city’s must-see landmarks, including the magnificent La Seu Cathedral, the Royal Palace of Almudaina, and the Es Baluard Contemporary Art Museum.
The building in question, Can Santacilia, appears in city records dating back to 1576, although its origins trace to the 12th or 13th century. Several renovations were carried out during the 17th and 18th centuries to preserve its structure. In the 20th century, however, it was divided and converted into multiple dwellings, significantly altering its original character. The main courtyard had fallen into disrepair and required complete restoration. Its principal façade at Tagamanent Square, which still retained part of the 18th-century décor, also needed revival. Thus, even though the building carried more than four centuries of history, it had been largely modified and distorted by the time OHLAB began the project.
In projects like this, architects often face the uphill task of balancing historical accuracy with contemporary needs. It involves researching layers of interventions over time to uncover, preserve, and enhance key architectural elements. Instead of erasing the past, OHLAB chose to celebrate it – acknowledging every phase of the building’s evolution. The goal was not to recreate an idealised version of history but to recognise and preserve the valuable traces left by each period.
To reintegrate the building into modern urban life, OHLAB updated the spaces to suit contemporary living while maintaining respect for the original architecture. The result is a modern, comfortable residential complex equipped with all the facilities of the 21st century. At the same time, the architects worked around the constraints of the 17th-century façade and structural rigidity, addressing the challenges of reimagining a historic volume with minimal alteration.
OHLAB’s renovation embraces the building’s inherent complexity as an opportunity to create unexpected spaces – each apartment possessing a distinct identity while retaining the shared historical essence.
At Can Santacilia, special attention has been paid to the selection of natural, noble, and local materials, underlining the building’s heritage and Mediterranean soul. A restrained palette of natural finishes defines the entire project, combining restored historical elements such as wooden carpentry, stone and timber structures, decorative plaster and wood mouldings, coffered ceilings, mortar and lime coatings, and traditional stone and ceramic floors, along with intricate wrought ironwork.
Complementing these authentic materials is a refined mix of noble contrasts – antique bronze details, local stones, mirrored fabrics, porcelain accents, and locally sourced linen and cotton textiles.
The project also restores the entrance courtyard, long distorted by previous interventions, reviving the splendour of this classic architectural feature characteristic of Palma’s noble homes. The courtyard now forms the central access to the heart of the building, opening onto landscaped terraces and shared spaces, including a gym and an indoor pool with a spa that connects directly to the courtyard.
A second inner courtyard has been reclaimed as a private garden for one of the homes, while five terraces across the complex offer sweeping views over Palma’s rooftops.
Despite the structural limitations of working within a listed heritage building, the renovation was designed with sustainability in mind. The project maximises energy efficiency through improved thermal insulation, careful treatment of thermal bridges across the envelope, and an efficient centralised air-conditioning system.
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