The Sant Francesc Convent was built in the early 18th century, and started deteriorating in the mid-19th century before being demolished in 2000—after that, only the church building remained standing in its crumbling state.
Seeing the potential in this piece of historical architecture—located in the Spanish town of Santpedor—architect David Closes decided to renovate the building without reconstructing it to its original looks.
Instead, he integrated striking modern elements into its design that does not conceal the building’s wounds, while blending the old and the new to great effect.
The crowning centrepiece of this project is a stunning faceted clear glass facade that clings to the front of the ruined stone structure—this wonderful first impression gives way to an equally beautiful interior space that has been reinforced with smooth concrete and warm timber details.
The crumbling holes in the building are filled in with windows and not covered up, showing that even the scars of time can be transformed into unique architectural character.
Now housing a cultural center and an auditorium, the Sant Francesc church proves that it is possible to retain the historical value of a building without keeping it looking the same as it did.
View more images of the renovated church here.
[via Weburbanist, images by Jordi Surroca]