Montoliu Hernandez Renovates Valencia Apartment with Barrel Vaults and Central Kitchen Core

Montoliu Hernandez, a local firm, has renovated the Cirilo Apartment in Valencia's historic Eixample district, replacing a fragmented 1920s layout with a fluid sequence of extruded arches. The project strips away disjointed interventions to reveal spatial continuity, using barrel vaults to modulate acoustics and volume without physical partitions. A central kitchen acts as a social core, balancing high-energy areas with private quarters. Materials include Red Alicante marble for contrast, natural oak, and a 6 x 6 cm porcelain tile grid that guides the renovation's precision. Original timber beam-and-vault floors are exposed above living and dining areas, creating tension with new white arches. The design reflects a Mediterranean movement favoring harmonic curves over sterile minimalism, similar to projects like Casa Zam 12 and Estels House. The night zone faces an inner courtyard for intimacy, with bathrooms as monolithic porcelain volumes. The renovation prioritizes light penetration and a restrained color palette, emphasizing architectural flow and cultural continuity in a 1920s building.