Mas Cadalt by Fran Silvestre Arquitectos

DATE

14.11.2025

The studio of MArch program director Fran Silvestre Arquitectos has completed a new project.

Named Mas Cadalt, the project is located in the heart of Serrat de la Cadalt (Canet d’Adri, Girona). It was born from an attitude of understanding and restraint: first to comprehend the place, then to intervene only where truly necessary. The project consists of the restoration of an abandoned farmhouse, adapting it to contemporary uses without losing its original typology and volume.

The new owners, who left their life in London to begin a new chapter in Girona surrounded by nature, light, and tranquility, have entrusted this space to integrate their personal and professional lives. On the entrance floor, the kitchen—featuring the triple height of the former tower—is organized alongside the living room, oriented toward views of the mountains. The upper floor houses two bedrooms, while the lower level, once used for animals, has been transformed into a multipurpose space. The adjoining volume that once stored farming tools has been repurposed as a garage, with its upper floor now serving as a studio for designer Terence Woodgate.

Regarding the construction system, the traditional limestone of the load-bearing walls from the Empordà region has been preserved, while the intervention repaired and added cork thermal insulation to improve energy performance. Inside, a second skin enhances brightness, eases maintenance, and discreetly integrates installations. The flooring is also limestone, maintaining material coherence between the existing and the new. The house also achieves energy and water autonomy through photovoltaic panels with batteries and a cistern system that even includes a small pool for summer cooling.

This intervention highlights how Fran Silvestre approaches restoration with subtlety: rather than imposing a new form, the goal is to accompany the existing one and give it contemporary dignity. In his own words, “Is it possible to restore a way of life? Can it be done with the same delicacy with which an ancient object is restored?” — a question that encapsulates the philosophy of the project.