In Santpedor, Spain, an crippled 18th century church has been
restored and rejuvenated with a new purpose and life. The church
originally had a neighbouring Franciscan convent, build by
priests, which was abandoned in 1835 and destroyed in 2000.
Seeking to save what was remaining of the church nextdoor,
architect David Closes injected an auditorium and cultural
centre while maintaining original dimensions. Leaving old
materials intact, Closes added new elements on top of original
ones – the difference between old and new is not only evident,
but a vital aspect of the restoration project. ‘The renovation
allows visitors to read historical wounds and the building's
most important spatial values, without giving up the use of
contemporary language in the new elements introduced in the
intervention,’ Closes says. Photos courtesy Jordi Surroca.