francesc macià 10: inside the luxury residential building by studio MK27

new images offer a first look inside ‘francesc macià 10’, the luxury residential development designed by marcio kogan and his são paulo-based practice studio MK27. originally completed by swiss architect marc-joseph saugey in the 1960s, the former office building is prominently located next to a roundabout in one of barcelona’s main business districts. having already taken in the project’s distinctive exterior, designboom was invited to the catalan capital to take a tour of the building’s amenity spaces and its 600 square-meter show apartment.

the project also sees furniture pieces by vincenzo de cotiis
all images courtesy of squircle capital

the residence has been jointly designed by studio MK27 and josé caireta, co-founder of squircle capital — the international investment and development firm behind the project. located on the 3rd floor of francesc macià 10, the unveiling of the apartment signifies an important milestone in the historic building’s revival. co-founders and managing directors of squircle capital, josé caireta and daniel castillo took on the project with the intention of creating an exclusive address for the city.

a custom-made lamp by michael anastassiades illuminates the american walnut wood found throughout the project

‘we’ve been on this business for over 12 years and we’re very hands-on when we develop,’ josé caireta told designboom. ‘back in 2007, we saw an opportunity in barcelona because compared to other markets, the city was lacking luxury hotels and residences like the ones found in paris, london, followed by milan and zurich. in 2012 we found this building and wondered what we should do with it. we had a hotel permit and thought about making another mandarin oriental, but we always wanted to develop a residential project.’

amenities include a 20 meter pool

‘when we decided to work with studio MK27 we joked around and said, ‘brazil and spain? this project will never be built!’, caireta continued. ‘then we realized they were very technical and that’s what we loved about their work, because even if they’re strict, they still bring brazil through these colors, this light and this nature. we accomplished two things: local people wanting to live in the building, and also a minimum price point which for us is very important.’

the project delivers a luxury experience on par with the world’s leading five star hotels

the fully serviced building contains seven full-floor residences and a two-floor penthouse across its ten storeys. comprising four bedrooms, four bathrooms, a 55 square-meter kitchen, and a 250 square-meter living room, the completed apartment features floor to ceiling windows with generous views of the city below. american walnut wood adorns the walls, while another of the city’s landmarks provided further inspiration. ‘mies van der rohe’s barcelona pavilion — one of my favorite projects — influenced the design, starting with the marble walls,’ marcio kogan told designboom.

a sauna and a steam room are also included furnished with pieces by bassam fellows

‘my first impression of the building was very extreme, it was a kind of a romantic date,’ continued kogan. ‘at the beginning it was strange, but in the end I fell in love with it, and it grew on me. it’s easy to do things when you have a neutral plan, but this building has a strong personality. the question was how to intervene with it and how to transform its peculiarity into something special.’

high-end fixtures and fittings are found in each residence

‘it was very interesting for us because our projects don’t feature many curves, and here we worked with an ellipse,’ added diana radomysler, who coordinates interior design projects at studio MK27. ‘you have the living area on one side, and the rooms in the other, without a visual connection. the windows on the other hand, are like a movie. you have different live frames telling many stories.’

walnut, marble, brass, and black granite have been used to great effect

other materials include: carrara, statuario, negro marquina marble, brass and black granite, all nestled within the yellow and grey color palette selected by squircle capital and marcio kogan. ‘my goal was to give potential residents of francesc macià 10 a real life experience,’ continues kogan. ‘we designed the space with the floor to ceiling windows in mind, ensuring nothing took away from the views, choosing materials that gave a timeless strength to the interiors and beautifully complemented the city below’.

generously proportioned bedrooms are filled with natural light

francesc macià 10 has been designed and curated to deliver a luxury experience on par with the world’s leading five star hotels, all in a private, residential setting. consequently, buyers will have access to an array of services ranging from in residence catering, personal shopping, delivery services, fresh flower services, car washing, and a chauffeur service. additionally, residents will enjoy two private entrances, creating an exclusive and secure arrival experience.

expansive living spaces feature large windows that offer sweeping views

‘this is the first glimpse of the interiors of francesc macià 10 since the building was completed in 2017, and marks a significant moment for squircle capital,’ stated josé caireta. ‘this is the first real estate project squircle capital has delivered and it is particularly special not just because of the heritage of the property and the extraordinary list of collaborators with whom we have worked with, but also because we can announce that we are going to market with the building already 40% sold.’

the fully serviced building comprises seven full-floor residences

the development’s amenities include: private storage facilities, secure parking for up to six cars and one motorcycle per residence, a 20 meter pool, a state of the art fitness center/gym, two private treatment rooms with salon and massage facilities, and a sauna and steam room. apartments in the building are now on the market, with residence shown here available for €10 million. see designboom’s previous coverage of the project here.

this apartment is now on the market for $10 million