Located in l’Horta Sud, Valencia, Casa Escaleta is accessed directly from the street via a narrow staircase, a distinctive feature of many single-family homes in the area. Behind its façade lies a century-old house, typical of a traditional village dwelling. The project reinterprets its original layout, transforming a compartmentalized structure into an open, fluid space for a young couple seeking a contemporary home while preserving the house’s original character.

During the renovation process, the sloped wooden structure supporting the Arabic tile roof was uncovered beneath the false ceilings— a key element in redefining the project’s spatiality. Additionally, original hydraulic tiles were found under the ceramic flooring, and their geometric patterns and tones guided many of the design choices regarding color and materials.

The apartment is centered around a spacious open-plan living area, where the kitchen becomes the heart of daily life. The bedrooms are positioned at opposite ends, ensuring privacy within an overall open and fluid layout. A newly added spiral staircase, adjacent to a restored exposed brick wall, leads to the rooftop terrace— an outdoor oasis that expands the perception of space.
Rather than being concealed, pre-existing elements have been highlighted: exposed wooden beams, a large double-leaf door, and original floors and window railings establish a dialogue between past and present, integrating the home’s history into a new way of living.

Casa Escaleta is an exercise in balance between memory and modernity, restoration and reinterpretation— a space that breathes history while embracing new ways of life.