Architectural projects from the Empordà region

At our studio, we develop architectural projects in the Empordà and surrounding regions, following an approach that consistently integrates design, technical expertise, and sustainable solutions.

Our work, ranging from new constructions to sensitive renovations, responds harmoniously to the site, the climate, and the chosen materials, while also meeting the specific needs of the users.

We prioritize natural, durable materials and traditional construction methods, creating a seamless connection between architecture and landscape.

The projects presented here exemplify thoughtful, functional architecture in harmony with their surroundings.

Here is a selection of our work.

Portopetro (Mallorca) │ all phases │ 290 m2 │ 2019

The building’s organic form emerges as a response to its spatial program and surrounding context. Key design drivers include the visual connections between the main living spaces and the Mediterranean Sea, as well as solar orientation and shading provided by the verandas. Equally important are the visual relationships between the interior and the garden, and the building’s sensitive adaptation to the site’s topography. The house maintains a continuous dialogue with its surroundings while carefully controlling the scale and gradation of privacy across all spaces.  

 Bàrbara Garcia , Björn Hinners y Sebastià Ginard

Llucmajor (Mallorca) │desig phase │ 272 m2 │ 2016 

A large family served as the impetus for the design of a house in which the architectural volumes define the various qualities of the outdoor spaces without interrupting their continuity. A generous pergola and a covered outdoor area act as a spatial hinge between sun and shade. A central courtyard functions as the heart of the house, surrounded by the main living spaces and the pool area, and connected through the living room to the garden pavilion and its outdoor functions. The horizontality of the low-lying building along the northwest façade is articulated by shallower, projecting volumes. These projections allow the rooms to receive indirect natural light while preserving privacy in the bathrooms.

 Bàrbara Garcia, Björn Hinners y Sebastià Ginard

Figueres │ design phase  │ 700 m2  │ 2016

A residential building with six housing units, planned near the center of Figueres. Access is provided from two streets with differing eave heights. A slight difference in level is resolved through a small interior courtyard, which simultaneously ensures cross-ventilation for the units and enhances the quality of living spaces that face the ‘green patio.’ This green patio also functions as a natural humidifier and fresh air generator. The spatial program is complex: a commercial space, stairwell, and parking on the ground floor, small rental apartments with varied floor plan typologies on the first and second floors, and a duplex on the third floor complete the program. Except for the stairwell, the building’s structural system is designed entirely in cross-laminated timber.

Bàrbara Garcia u. Björn Hinners

Avinyonet de Puigventós │ all phases │ 120 m2 │ 2021

The renovation and extension project reinterprets the existing building, whose form had been gradually transformed through various interventions over time. This design approach led to a reconfiguration of the spatial composition, both in terms of massing and openings. The result is a compact volume, meticulously carved to allow natural light to reach even the most secluded corners, fostering intimate, warm, and inviting interior atmospheres. 

Bàrbara Garcia u. Björn Hinners

Terrades │ design phase  │ 185 m2  │ 2017

The project aims, among other things, to adapt an old house to meet the needs of a young family. The primary design efforts for this corner building focus on restructuring the spatial program, modifying the original floor heights to accommodate new requirements while preserving the existing window openings, and enhancing the consistency of the existing brick vaults. The second-floor kitchen and living area are transformed, gaining a direct, open connection to the attic and its adjoining roof terrace. The roof is completely renewed, and through skylights and terrace access, the kitchen and living spaces receive pleasant, indirect natural light. The planned vertical extension is visually emphasized on the façade through a change in material, with the new cladding differentiating itself from the existing stone façade through a smooth, contrasting texture.

Björn Hinners y Bàrbara Garcia

Navata │ all phases │ 100 m2  │ 2017

This house, located in the historic village center of Navata, is being converted into a small rural tourism accommodation. The spatial program for each floor must accommodate all necessary functions within just 20 m². The project involves a major renovation, with only the existing façade retained. One of the main objectives has been to ensure sufficient natural ventilation throughout the building, to create warm, naturally lit spaces where the old boundaries of the existing rooms are redefined, while preserving the substance of the original architecture. This project is supported by a LEADER grant. 

Bàrbara Garcia Belmonte u. Björn Hinners

Caldes de Malavella │ design phase │ 500 m2+3500m2 Aussenanlagen │ 2017 

The project aimed to adapt the structure of the existing building to a new spatial program for rural tourism use. A flexible layout was developed, allowing the house to be divided into three independent units or operated as a single, unified space. The building opens up to the outdoors, with new visual connections created. By enhancing the outdoor areas, users are invited to enjoy the surrounding nature and move some of their activities outside

Björn Hinners u. Bàrbara Garcia 

Avinyonet de Puigventós │ all phases │ 191 m2 │ 2017 

The task involved overseeing the renovation works on the historic stone house’s exterior envelope, as well as handling the permit planning and supervising the erection of scaffolding. The project included cleaning and selective repair of the existing exposed masonry, maintaining the living room terrace, adapting the access points, and installing new iron railings, as well as completely replacing all window and door elements.

Björn Hinners u. Bàrbara Garcia Belmonte

Avinyonet de Puigventós │ all phases │ 38 m2 │ 2014

Driven by the need to create additional living space, the project extends the floor area of an existing building. The new volume emerges from a dialogue of contrasts with the existing structure: the old stone house, oriented toward the lively street, is embraced by a new, horizontally composed timber volume. The intervention was also conditioned by the presence of a large hackberry tree (Celtis australis). To preserve its vitality, the impact of the building’s foundation was minimized, resulting in the creation of a covered gallery. Serving as a transitional element between the interior and the garden, the view from inside is framed toward the tree. This intermediate space, together with the tree and its canopy, the proximity to the garden, and full-height sliding wooden-louvered doors, creates a naturally comfortable indoor climate during the summer.

Björn Hinners u. Bàrbara Garcia

Saudi Arabien │ design phase│ 6 ha │ 2015 

For the urban master planning of a resort in northern Riyadh, the organization of outdoor spaces was arranged along a spectrum from public to private, achieving a seamless progression without major barriers and creating a calm sequence of spaces. Small visual screens, such as gentle embankments and desert vegetation, mediate the transition from private gardens to the central park area. The qualities of the local landscape—such as the expansive horizon, the extremely flat terrain, and its vegetation—served as key inspirations for the design concept. To introduce spatial interest into the otherwise flat topography, the main accommodation buildings were integrated into a shallow, artificial dune landscape. These dunes partially shield the building envelopes, protecting them from overheating, while also helping to privatize the individual patio gardens.

 Björn Hinners, Bàrbara Garcia u. Tobias Zwickler

Barcelona │ all phases │ 55 m2 │ 30.000 € │ 2016 

The renovation of this small apartment in the Poble Nou district of Barcelona, executed on a very limited budget, transformed the fragmented and dark original spaces into a clear and bright home. The design positions the kitchen centrally, making it the heart of the apartment, from which one can enjoy views of the sea.

Bàrbara Garcia u. Björn Hinners

Barcelona │ all phases │ 120 m2 │ 125.000 € │ 2009 

The floor plan of an apartment on the ninth floor of an 18-story residential tower on Gran Via in Barcelona was completely redesigned following a full gut renovation. Despite the individualized room layout, a seamless spatial continuity was achieved. Through the use of ‘room furniture elements,’ semi-open living zones were created, offering the occupant an engaging interplay of light and shadow. The various room divisions, such as the studio and living areas, are visually separated by these elements while remaining connected through generous glazed panels. The exposed ceiling in the living area and studio becomes a unifying spatial feature. The kitchen and living area form the apartment’s primary unit and are connected via a large, open wooden window in the form of a pass-through, serving as the central focal point of the main living space. Exceptional attention to detail is evident in all custom-designed elements, including large sliding doors, furniture, and bathroom fittings, which together form a crucial component of this residential project.

 Björn Hinners u. Bàrbara Garcia

Barcelona │ all phases │ 45 m2 │ 60.000 € │ 2005

Complete gut renovation and refurbishment of a small four-room apartment on the third floor in the Ensanche district of Barcelona. The original apartment, located in a residential building over a hundred years old, was transformed into an open, bright, and functional three-room apartment. The existing wooden beam structure had to be reinforced. By supporting the entire ceiling, a large open space was created, connecting the key areas of the apartment—living and dining areas, kitchen, and gallery.

The fluid spatial arrangement creates a dynamic interplay of natural light while ensuring cross-ventilation throughout the apartment. At the same time, the design conveys a sense of spaciousness and generosity. Particular attention was given to detailed elements, including folding door units.

Bàrbara Garcia u. Björn Hinners

Barcelona │ all phases │  2015  

A temporary promotional installation for the 2015 exhibition year was designed for the semi-public terrace of the Santa Mónica Museum on La Rambla. The concept was to create a lightweight structure reminiscent of an open book. The terrace, designed and built by renowned urban architects Viaplana and Piñon, enjoys protected status, which meant that the installation could not have a single fixed connection to the terrace surface. A system of tensioned steel cables stabilizes the structure while ensuring the safety of passersby.

Björn Hinners, Barbara Garcia  u. Xavier Torrent

Avinyonet de Puigventós │ all phases │ 4 m2 │ 2011  

A wooden structure, perceived as floating, defines the space above a small patio and links the various elements- façade, wall, and a hackberry tree- into a cohesive composition. Its fragmented geometry evokes a weave of irregular branches, projecting a dynamic play of light and shadow onto the space below, varying with the sun’s position. This interplay, together with the gravel surface beneath, creates a fleeting, almost ephemeral visual composition. The timber framework, measuring 2 x 2 meters, is composed of 37 individual pieces joined through 81 angled wooden connections. Apart from the hanging supports, not a single nail, screw, or drop of glue was used. The structure can be fully disassembled down to its individual components.

Björn Hinners