Falling prey to some early catalan modernist interventions before being completely abandoned in the 90's, the 'comillas university seminar' renovation by local firms fernandez-abascal + muruzabal architects, pesquera ularrgui arquitectos, and alonso and barrientos architects restores the dilapidated building to its original form with moments of contemporary language creating a dialogue with the classical order.
The central portion of the structure which contains the grand hall and church were carefully and intensively restored with a slue of artists re-touching the original artwork and engravings to restore the space to its original splendor. the lateral cloisters were dealt with in a more liberal manner, redefining the spaces and materials to a  contemporary functionalism, opening the attics with a new smooth concrete wall that reflects natural light into the corridors and rooms. the new modern partition dictates a new order of elements whose services are located at the original towers, allowing the stretch in between to enjoy a higher programmatic flexibility. light douglas pine planks make up the new interior floors as a markedly different space than the strictly restored entrance area.
architects: alberto alonso ortiz, joaquín barrientos barquín, eduardo fdez.-abascal teira, floren muruzábal sitges, eduardo pesquera gonzález
jesús ulargui agurruza
location: comillas. cantabria
size: 17.484 m2 / phase 1 8.869 m2
budget: phase 1 i23.374.825,02 euros
collaborators: cristina gómez abecia/carlos gómez santos, arquitectos
engineers: roma ingeniería
technical architect: alfonso cuenca/dolores rebanal
structural: francisco de la torre, estudio de ingeniería dynamis, miguel terán garrido
mep: jg inconor
others: enrique campuzano, historical study; nuria garcía, material study; toni cumella, ceramic church intervention
client: sociedad activos inmobiliarios campus comillas
dates: 2007-2010