This luxury building renovation in Pedralbes, Barcelona is the most ambitious project Lirian has completed. The property is a 1,100 m² residential building constructed in the early 1940s, situated near Avinguda de Pedralbes in one of Barcelona’s most exclusive and stable residential locations. The building contains four large apartments ranging from 230 to 310 m², a double garage, and a private communal garden. Every element of the building was renovated to the highest possible standard over 68 weeks.
The project was commissioned by an institutional private client acquiring the building as a long-term residential asset. The brief was unambiguous: no compromises, no cost-cutting, and a result that would place the building among the finest renovated residential properties in Barcelona. That is exactly what was delivered.
The Building and its Context
Pedralbes is one of the few areas in Barcelona where large-format residential buildings from the pre-war and early post-war periods survive in relatively intact condition. Wide, tree-lined streets, low building density, proximity to the Diagonal, and a strongly established ownership culture have protected the neighbourhood from the pressures that have transformed much of the city. A well-executed renovation in Pedralbes does not simply improve a building. It locks in long-term capital value in one of the most resilient micro-markets in Spain.
The building was originally designed with generous proportions and a degree of architectural ambition typical of the period. Floor heights across the residential levels range from 3.2 to 3.8 metres. Original marble flooring survived in the entrance hall and staircase. The stone facade, with its classically proportioned windows and corner quoins, was structurally intact and architecturally coherent.
Structural Works and Systems
The full renovation began with a complete structural audit. The existing concrete frame was found to be sound throughout. However, the intermediate slab between the garage and first floor required full replacement due to moisture infiltration over decades. This was executed in reinforced concrete with full waterproofing to current standards, integrating underfloor heating loops into the new slab during the pour.
All building systems were replaced entirely. New plumbing risers were installed in concealed service shafts running the full height of the building. Each apartment received an independent electrical distribution board, a dedicated mechanical ventilation and climate system, and full home automation pre-wiring covering lighting, blinds, climate, and security. The garage level was upgraded with EV charging points, reinforced structural drainage, and new mechanical ventilation.
A new glass and polished stone lift was installed in the central stairwell, replacing an existing outdated unit. The lift runs the full height of the building including the garage level.
Common Areas
The common areas of a building of this standing require the same level of attention as the residential interiors. In this luxury building renovation in Pedralbes, we restored and elevated every shared element.
The entrance hall flooring — original Bardiglio marble in a large diagonal format — was carefully lifted, cleaned, and re-laid with full hydraulic bedding and precise joint alignment. Where tiles were damaged beyond repair, perfectly matched replacements were sourced from a specialist Italian quarry. The original marble wainscoting was cleaned, repolished, and repaired in full.
The staircase retains its original stone treads and wrought-iron balustrade. The balustrade was stripped, rust-treated, and refinished in a deep satin black. A new handrail in custom-milled solid Nero Marquina marble was installed in place of the deteriorated original. The staircase wall finish is Venetian plaster in a warm pale ivory with a fine polished sheen, applied by a specialist plasterer over six coats.
The communal garden was redesigned entirely. Decomposed granite paths, box hedging, Magnolia grandiflora and Prunus trees, and a central limestone terrace with a water feature create a setting that is formal, calm, and clearly tended. The garden is visible from all four apartments and serves as an important part of the residential quality of the building.
Residential Interiors
Each of the four apartments was renovated individually to an ultra-luxury specification. The scope included complete demolition of all existing finishes, full internal reconfiguration where needed, and fit-out with bespoke materials and joinery across every surface.
Flooring throughout all four apartments is large-format honed Bianco Carrara marble in a 120 × 60 cm format. The veining was book-matched across the main living areas of each apartment. Walls are in Venetian plaster across all principal rooms, in a warm ivory tone with a hand-applied sheen. Ceilings have been restored where original plasterwork cornices survive and newly created where they do not, using the original profiles as a template.
Kitchens are fully bespoke in all four apartments. The cabinetry is painted in a palette ranging from deep warm ivory to a restrained sage, depending on the apartment’s orientation and character. All kitchens have thick stone worktops — Calacatta Oro in two apartments, honed Verde Guatemala in one, and Statuarietto in the fourth — each chosen to establish a distinct identity. Hardware throughout is in burnished brass. Appliances are fully integrated.
Bathrooms are conceived as rooms rather than purely functional spaces. Master bathrooms in three of the four apartments feature freestanding baths. Wall surfaces use book-matched marble slabs. Bespoke vanity cabinetry is in solid oak or lacquered in warm white, depending on the apartment. Tapware is by a specialist European manufacturer in a burnished or brushed brass finish.
Custom joinery runs throughout every apartment: full-height library walls in lacquered oak with integrated brass rails, concealed door systems flush with the surrounding Venetian plaster, and bespoke window shutters in solid painted timber. Every transition between materials has been resolved with precision and restraint.
Façade
The stone facade was cleaned, repointed, and repaired across the entire building envelope. Damaged render areas were replaced in lime mortar matching the original. Original timber window shutters were restored on the lower floors and replicated in treated hardwood on the upper floors. The cornices, quoins, and window surrounds were cleaned and repaired by a specialist heritage contractor. The result is a building that reads as genuinely cared for — not freshly constructed, not artificially aged, but properly maintained and confidently owned.
Result
This luxury building renovation in Pedralbes is the flagship project of Lirian’s portfolio. It demonstrates the full range of the firm’s technical and design capabilities: structural engineering, heritage restoration, systems integration, bespoke millwork, and ultra-luxury residential fit-out, all delivered within a single project of exceptional complexity. The building now stands as one of the finest renovated residential properties in its neighbourhood, and a permanent reference point for what a complete building renovation can achieve at the highest level.
