Bought dark fixer-upper. Turned it into dream home (before/after)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 มิ.ย. 2021
- Three years ago, we embarked on a family project. We found a derelict (and affordable) country home located in a tiny, well-maintained castle hamlet 1 hour outside Barcelona, Spain. We began renovation with the help of a young architecture studio based in Antoni Gaudí's birthplace, Reus.
Can houses be honest with both their surroundings and inhabitants? What does it take to create a timeless home? Can a home remodel celebrate the layers of past, present, and future? Do homes know how to grow old in good shape?
Without knowing it, we began an enriching conversation about the layers of a timeless building that projects into the future: the bottom floor's bareness was respected; the first floor gathers all the house's living services; whereas the second floor opens to the natural surroundings.
There's a gradient between the 3 floors of the house, bottom to top: from more primitive to more sophisticated, from less intervention to more intervention, from colder materials to warmer elements, from more protection/seclusion to the display of the Mediterranean, unspoiled surroundings.
We want to share this video with you as the first step towards a series of 3 documentaries that will explain the house in depth from three different perspectives.
In our second video ( • We needed simple furni... ), we explain how we came with low-tech solutions that perform very well with climate, inhabitants, and the surroundings (from materials to openings, and of course, furniture).
The third video will celebrate our collaboration with David Tapias (leading architect), Ricard Pau (assistant architect), Gerard Marmolejo (transforming furniture design), and more. Stay tuned.
-Aixopluc Architects: aixopluc.net/
-Read the article by Dwell+ on House Among Portals: "In Spain, an Edgy Renovation Uses Off-the-Shelf Materials in Surprising Ways": www.dwell.com/article/house-a...
On *faircompanies: faircompanies.com/videos/ruin... - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
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This home is Alchemy, a brilliant Fusion of Portals between past and present. I became entranced by the conversion of this space, so honorable to both its origins and current provisions. And I'll add my utmost respect for those who can elegantly juggle a marriage, children, international travel, business entrepreneurship, and a renovation...and keep it all together! Thank you for this glimpse into your privacy, as well as all the ideas and hope you've provided me over the years. Getting ready to sell a very special place, my beloved home, and move on to the simpler cabin life you've helped me believe I can achieve.
Thank you for your words Michael; it's been a team's work with so many people generously contributing to it. Hopefully, a more technical second video in some weeks/months from now will honor those who helped us in this particular endeavor.
Corner windows are the best. They allow for amazing views without sacrificing large amounts of valuable wall space.
I love this channel so much. I’ve been following for a very long time now and this particular video was so nice to see. I’m so happy for you and your family to have such a wonderful home in a building with many stories to tell, and if anyone deserves to own and take care of such a building it’s the both of you! I hope you enjoy it for many years to come.
Beautifuly said/writen and agreed! Enjoy
You have given this building a new life without spoiling it. Well done.
All the varied houses you've shown us, everything you've learned along the way, have informed your decisions. Trusting an architect was a smart move. You're saving the property and transforming it into a treasured HOME.
i love this channel especially for us seniors watching kirsten and family in their adventures. as if im also there and see the culture there like Spain for free. thanks TH-cam and kirsten.
Agreed! Soo love TH-cam it's opened up the world and as I don't like to travel much has made an experience of everywhwere available to me that I would not normaly have! Enjoy
I love that Kirsten take her children with her when visiting certain places what an education for them, and the house you can see it's going to be lovely, I mean the setting is beautiful.
The old world has such an interesting base to work from. It's very rare to have something like this in Australia. We're mostly building from scratch or doing renovations of 1950's stick framed asbestos cottages. We can do cool things but rarely anything like this, it's like having your turn on an artwork that people have been contributing to for centuries.
It sucks that the building regulations are so strict, but it's also understandable when you see the monstrosities that a lot of architects will produce when given free reign. It's a difficult problem to solve everywhere, the balance between innovation and preservation.
I'm impressed by how the architect was able to blend modern conventional (and economical!) construction with the timeless old world craftsmanship. The renovation doesn't hide _what_ it is, the space is very honest about being new, but very modest in its new-ness
That was such an enjoyable 33:31 minutes spent. Your new home seems so well-suited to you and your family. The best part for me, after of course seeing the way you approached the renovation, was watching how you and your children interact.
Давно не была у Вас на канале. Рада видеть, что у Вас, с детьми, продолжается жизнь путешественников.
This is one of the first channels I joined when I found youtube, thank you for sharing so much so many years. Anyone asks me about what I watch, I always say your channel. Your films always inspire me, and also thank you for showing us your own home. I hope I pick the best name!
Bold use of the concrete block, especially street facing in such a historic setting.
Really loving these ancient renovation type videos
Those opening shots had me singing “sigh not so, ladies” like the opening of Kenneth Branagh’s Much Ado About Nothing. Even the location from a historical perspective is just about right. If not Much Ado, then Othello.
Oh yes, I agree, this place has a "Much ado about nothing" vibe! :D
Its amazing how bigger the kids have gotten from when you first got this house
Wake up call for us all. Entropy and time are real. Let’s take the nice side of it if we all agree. Let’s evolve and celebrate.
@@nicolasboullosa Lol, were you in a philosophical frame of mind by any chance?
@@sroberts605 maybe we undersell the YT comments section, it can be a cesspool of bad faith but it also keeps us ticking if we know how to use it.
@@nicolasboullosa Your comment took me zooming off to the end of the universe... and right back to appreciating the present. Carry on inspiring :)
A well deserved place to connect with each other and the earth, enjoy : )
looking forward to this castle. All your videos are amazing. One day I hope to be interesting enough to be on your channel.
Hope to see a project of yours one day!
The contrast between apparent rock on the outside, the OSB panels here and there and all the bricks IS stunning. And I'm not even talking about all the openings.
Hermosa transformación!! Perfect location and thanks to people like you, these beautiful medieval towns can still stand for hundred of years.
What a beautiful, sensitive renovation - and OMG, that location, and the views! To die for, all of it. May you all have many happy years together there.
Been a fan since the Jay Shafer era and I'm so glad to see what exposure to a myriad of creative folks has yielded: a lovely and sustainable home for a beautiful family. Thank you for sharing your home and journey with us!
Looking over these responses from viewers, its alarming as to the percentage who challenge ..be it the design, interior choices, even as to Kirsten & Nicolas choice to include their 3 children along as they travel extensively exposing these novel home sites. Come on people ! Place aside your personal view of child rearing, discussions regarding lighting methods, how the family may interact...for this is not your window for making character assignations or in any way critiquing or analyzing a family's lifestyle choices. Nicolas, Kirsten & their 3 children have braved placing their passions & curiosity for travel, personalities, architecture & history on the line. That requires a tremendous level of confidence & trust in humanity ! The very least we can do is to view with curiosity minus our trivial personal views regarding choices pertaining to the structure featured & definitely not going anywhere near the subject matter of parenting. Keep that to yourself, amongst your family & friends. Neither Nicolas or Kirsten are needing advise as to how to parent. My god, I find that impossible to get my head around, for I view this family as heroes in these times when increasingly, children around the world eat alone, seldom travel, seldom partake in philosophical conversations pertaining to object positioning, history, landscape, communication & creativity on various scales. My own parents taught me this golden rule- if you can't say something nice, don't say it.
Hello Canyon, Thanks for the comment. You are very generous with your words. I am rarely offended when someone discusses my camerawork or even childrearing as I have no pretensions regarding the former and feel the latter is quite subjective. I hope all is well for you. - Kirsten
@@kirstendirksen I will make an effort at following that style of yours.. Healthier + doesn't require me to feel so dependent upon others certain response..thank you for the therapy
Beautiful Spain. It never disappoints!
You couldn't have chosen a place that fits your family and lifestyle better if you tried
So many different directions you could have gone with it and the one you chose was excellent.
I also have a sneaking suspicion that this is probably one of if not THE most enjoyable build your architect has ever undertaken
Oh my how beautiful your home is going to be! Not fancy but beautiful and everlasting. So happy for you all. Yes everyone needs a place to go home to and this wonderful place is yours!
I get so nervous seeing the kids on ledges. I'm afraid of heights lol Beautiful house though!
I know! That made me anxious just seeing the daughter there
I think the birds are swallows. They are nesting high in the castle.
Housemartins, I think
@@andrewwoodgate3769 I agree, housemartins.
*AND LIEBNIZ DIDN'T STAND A CHANCE!*
*"THE GREEKS ARE GOING MAD!
THE GREEKS ARE GOING MAD!*
yes .. they eat flying insects ...
African or European Swallows?
Your channel has always educated and enlightened me with your stories about people's personal living spaces...you provided the window, and they told their stories. Now, it is so exciting to experience the storyteller's own story. What a beautiful site you chose and a challenging structure to improve. Can't wait to see what develops.
As an enthusiastic architect I have always had a taste for Spanish Architecture. I wish I could work and renovate a project like this. Thank you so much for sharing.
Stunning! Great job! There’s a very good point to having the glass broken up into windowframes in a location like this with a sensitive biotop, not just for the character: birds tend to not see wide expanese of glass, especially under the eves of a roof, so they fly into it and break their necks constantly. I’ve experienced it to the point of gathering beautiful dead songbirds every morning and it was the saddest thing ever.
What a beautiful home for your family! Wonderful job. In the beginning after the roof was gone, I have to admit I immediately thought "wouldn't it have been a beautiful open rooftop garden with the views, a telescope to enjoy your tremendous sky. Your vision is brilliant! Thank you for sharing this and your insight! I'm trying to develop beautiful affordable housing for families having to start over after losing a spouse, natural disaster, or traumatic events. Everyone deserves to own a little piece of heaven to call their own 💜Many blessings to you all 🙏
Kristen I am coming here after ages
Didn't know you got your own paradise and were renovating it..
Love the area..
So happy for you
After following you for years.. I feel so happy to see this..
Love it in every way. The architectural philosophy of "truth in materials" is so satisfying to see in practice. Looking forward to seeing more. Thanks for sharing.
Stunning home, Kirsten! Great reimagining of the space!
Thanks!
I LOVE IT! The natural simplicity is so refreshing and oh my gosh what gorgeous views! Beyond the structure I was so taken by the children. Their curiosity and appreciation of the natural world that surrounds them. I remember way back when my children were like that and I couldn't help thinking how lucky they all are to be raised in such an environment. I can't help thinking about all the children in the world that don't have a safe place outdoors to play much less a green space. How much better would this world be if every child had a safe green space to grow up in? If they all had access to a natural environment to explore and appreciate all that nature offers that can't be found in a video game or on the streets where violence reigns.
What a warm and inviting home. I really appreciate this channel, but this episode in particular; I love.
funcional, sobrio , perfecto, el modo que ganaron luz y agrandaron los espacios, con mínimas y adecuadas ampliaciones, perfecto, los felicito, un sueño cumplido
Gracias Diego. El presupuesto inspiró una intervención lo más quirúrgica posible dentro de la realidad: una vieja casa con forjados transformados. Pero todos los participantes estamos satisfechos de lo logrado. Saludos.
Un saludo desde BsAs Argentina.por suerte voy a pasear todos los años a España. Y conozco el entorno.
Thanks for sharing. I am very happy for your family! Enjoy!
Amazing thoughtful transformation, loved seeing the process this way.
So happy for you and your family to be able to get such a wonderful fixer upper that is going to be great! well done, nice to see the kids really enjoying it. pease show us the finish home. Beautiful site. BC Canada
What an amazing home, thanks for sharing it with us. Absolutely fabulous
Remarkable and well groovy. Great place for little ones
Thank you for inviting us into your home! The renovation is fantastic. I’ve been watching your videos for years, and almost feel like I know you because of that. Fun to get to visit your home after visiting all those other homes with you!
@28:00 yeah good call Kirsten, that space needs work. It looks, sounds and feels like a rest-stop bathroom along the highway. So much potential in that place tho!
LOL.
Me and my mom a couple of years ago considered buying the house in the corner of the castle square as a second residence.
The many different views, just mesmerising, especially overlooking the water reservoir. Reminds me a little of Kenya. Well done. 👏
Want to visit Kenya, hopefully soon. We were invited but couldn't go. Next time.
my life would be filled with hours looking out over that water - so beautiful
Must have been very hard not to mention the towns name, but showing the towns city-limit plate right in the video - kinda priceless (interesting Wikipedia page about the Castle btw). Looks like you'll need a bunch of surveillance equipment now to keep "visitors" outside of your home while being away.
The architects (I'm sure with your family's input) did a fantastic transformation of this building, it's wonderfully done. Such an intelligent and pleasing mix of modern materials and concepts with the old-world construction. I love it. EDIT: And the location and surrounding area is almost beyond words :)
Beautiful space, full of character, in a environment with so much history, you can almost touch it. Congratulations. Its well deserved, Im sure.
+1.
Amazing to see how they used the wood for the restoration!!
I love the Frank Lloyd Wright style inside corner and outside corner glass no seams. A hot rod speed boat would complete all of the fun.
Yes, FLW solution for a window. Where did I see that? Spring Green, Wisconsin. Talieson?
There's lots of corner windows in falling water too
Can't wait to see once it's completely done! Beautiful house.
I really like your vlog style videos these days, it’s nice getting to know your family and how you move through life in your beautiful way. Cheers from Seattle, Wa. 💜
That is a brilliant home you and your family got yourselves there, and what a beautiful location. Congratulations. I'm looking forward to see the next two videos of the project. :)
This is such a beautiful home, and I can’t wait to see the little documentaries about creating it.
Enjoy!
This is fantastic! A great distillation of your exploration of home. Thank you for all the great work you do and for sharing your own homemaking process with us. So thrilled to be a part of your journey!!
I missed how they enclosed the bathroom...it is a very beautiful place and the remodel as well.
❤️❤️❤️❤️ Absolutely love what you did to the house. Just stunning! Congrats!
Kirsten, I’m curious to see how you finish/decorate it. I know you are minimalists, but a home is so much more than just walls and floors.
Definitely some rags, books, furniture. They’ll come with time.
I'm glad the planning department (whatever it is there) was willing to work with you in creative compromise. I was thinking how here (UK), the equivalent, English Heritage, can be more restrictive than is useful.
Yeah they'd rather the country was covered in ruins than compromise at all with the restoration
@@Lee-xs4dj It's not that, it's just that there's a balance, and in my estimation the balance in England favours least alteration to an existing structure, no matter how good or creative the modernisation, and perhaps more importantly, no regard to costs!
Wow the view. Dream house and location
Beautifully adapted to today’s needs and expectations while preserving the original footprint. Congratulations on a wonderful home you can return to...¡Saludos!
Stark is the New Black. Simplicity is Divine. The interior surface of your new walls on the top floor remind me of my old home in Kyoto. SUPER cool and so ahead of their time. Not to mention the absence of industrial construction chemicals in your new space. Brilliant! Looking forward to seeing more about it.
It is so nice to see your children growing up in your videós.
32:14 Kirsten, my hero even prevents house fires.
Your channel not only captures architecture, but a piece of human nature rooted in materials and history. Congratulations on your new home. Thanks for taking me on so many journeys of the human spirit.
The drone shots were very cool
Wonderful location! The whole village is in great shape and feels original. Very nice.
Love it, so envious of the beautiful home you have created. Love the architects work on the property, your views and the old world charm you have kept/included in your family home. Well done!!
Uno de los mejores proyectos vistos en TH-cam.El lugar, el trabajo,los materiales ,la estética ...Un gusto impecable.Enhorabuena!
I don't know if I could live with that kind of raw or unfinished look, but I think it's a great renovation, really respectful to the place, nice and minimal. I wold love to see how the house evolves with you and what things you decide to change.
Being Spanish and not having blinds or curtains I don't know if i could manage that 🤷🏻♂️
Lol, 2 great points, so thank you for being brave and bringing 2 important things. I know, downstairs is raw, but I recognize it grows in you with time, I feel like we bought a huge painting by Tàpies. Blinds: working on something low-tech, eco and interesting to hopefully show you some day. It won’t be regular blinds.
@@nicolasboullosa I always joke about the "air conditioning" in old Valencian homes, Persianas Alicantinas, rolling external wood blinds thrown over the balcony rail to block the suns rays and allow a breeze. They do work to a point. With the heat sink of the stone something simple to block direct sun could work.
Also your village is lovely.
@@PerfectSpainValencia Notice that País Valencià, especially from Valencia province down, is significantly more humid and hot in July and August than the Catalonia closest to the sea (not to talk about the Pyrenées, with chilly nights in the middle of summer due to altitude). In this case, insulation, airflow, and thermal mass, as well as the proximity of a big body of forest+water, will do part of the trick due to evaporation and thermal difference indoors-outdoors. If you are familiar with the "botijo", we'll do that at a big scale: airflow and thermal inertia will keep the house cool, and we'll add an "original" mechanism for blinding the big windows in the hot summer middays. Let me keep the specs of that protective low-tech solution for the future since it hasn't happened yet.
AMAZING work! I love it when these old structures are renovated but keep their orginal character. Job well done to everyone involved! Thanks for sharing.
Wow! Looks fantastic! Well done, all of you. Those views are incredible, every single one.
Congratulations! Oh My, what a beautiful spot! Really, really excited for you (& the kids)!
What a beautiful, peaceful and natural home. I love it!
My congratulations! Love Catalonia and their architecture! And you've made a real house of a dream! Just... WOW!
I'am so happy to see your proyect!!! Congratulations!!! you really found a wonderful place to make your proyect its a beautiful house in a historic place. This is what a house is about :) cant wait to see the end result, hugs for all the family
Never been so excited to watch a video in my life after seeing headline...Iwill say it again best channel on youtube
When I saw it was Spanish I thought of the song up in Spanish Harlem. So Spanish heaven. Love the roof top top. Barb
Wow. I can’t wait for the next two parts.
Absolutely amazing! I wondered if you had your own creation. This space is brilliant not for only the interior but the location, views, activity at street level and views to the castle. Austere yes but so adaptable to the environment and potential future alterations. Marvelous work Kirsten Nic and your 3 lovely kids. Great job - I wish I had that place...
Home sweet home! Love your channel!!!
Wow. The kids have grown. Beautiful.
Très malin, belle organisation des espaces, économie de moyens, localisation et situation exceptionnelles. Well done !
this is fantastic! i renovate old homes in new orleans and love when i discover something that was covered up. finding that arch is amazing! i also love the different textures of time!
Very interesting process of renovation. Lovely place
Love your home & renovations! What a unique location!!! The views from every window are very beautiful & from the top - spectacular.
This is amazing. I have a bit more than a tinge of envy. I would love to find something like this. I love how you are renovating a building with such a rich history while maintaining its character and context.
Appreciate your honesty. Will try to share some pictures eventually, as well as a video more focused on technical questions (less personal therefore, we aren’t used to it and not sure if I love it; prefer to hear others talking). It may take some time, but Kirsten sees it happening too. We left so much stuff out.
@@nicolasboullosa Thank you. I hope to see more of your lovely home in the future. It was very nice to see the transformation of the interior spaces in immediate succession in this video. I especially liked the transformation of the attic space and the kitchen space. Your home truly is a special place.
Love this episode. The changing colors and clouds in the sky are so interesting.
The bird's, sound like Swallows. Beautiful country.
They look like swallows, too. But they could be house martins, who live near water and catch mosquitos. Same family as swallows.
You guys NEVER cease to amaze me! Kudos for your never ending enthusiasm and creativity!! Hoping to see you in the not too distant future... AUnt SUnny
Hi Sunny, how are you? BTW you are invited to visit any time you want as family. Letting Kirsten know you commented. Hope all is well!
Ms Dirksen's track record speaks for itself. Your fans glory in your success. One vote for leaving the natural construction materials as is. (Birds might be swifts)
I always thought about if you guys actually lived somewhere. After all of those years the kids must be excited to have a place to grow roots and have friends. (But I'm guessing you're still gonna take them travelling)
I'm so happy to see you all have finally decided for a place to settle in ! Congratulations !
Fantastic video, and fantastic house. I live in a 3 storey house to the north, in the Garrotxa. We have no foundations, we have to live with the damp on the ground floor, you just have to change your point of view and accept what you previously could not accept. If you ever get the time, come visit the Garrotxa. We have amazing places too, lake Banyoles, Besalu, Santa Pau, Olot, plus all the mountain villages and scenery. Your new home is so beautiful, and the location too...enjoy!!!! :o)
Hey very cool! I really like it, the stone is comforting to me. All the light is wonderful.
happy for you!!!! so wholesome. please continue to be a ray of sunshine for many of us stuck in dark places ;P