Llavador: Former Workshop Transformed into a Home in Valencia's Cabanyal

In the Cabanyal neighborhood of Valencia, Spain, the architectural project Llavador by UNIT (Nathalie Havelange, Andreu Vélez Guillén, Hendrik Verlinden) with Ana Ybarra Arias and Eric Montoto Martínez has converted a former dark and humid workshop into a small residence with a patio. Completed in September 2025, the 86m² project began in 2023. The main challenge was to bring light into the interior without sacrificing privacy. The design restored the existing patio, integrating it into the day area, and created a second covered patio at the entrance to illuminate the bedroom and corridor. Both patios are connected by traditional solid brick: existing brick was restored and reinforced, while new locally produced brick was laid without joints or bonding to differentiate it from the restored material. This local brick serves as a unifying element from the facade to the patio, linking past and present. Technical architect Júlia Fernández Sorókina and constructor Equipo Alvarado collaborated. Photography by Milena Villalba.