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Valencia, Spain
Working from Requena and Valencia, Belén Ilarri leads a small practice that turns disused wineries, farmhouses, and village dwellings into light-filled homes. Each commission begins by stripping a building to its bones, then re-knitting space with simple moves—cutting new patios for daylight and ventilation, lime-plastering old masonry, pairing raw timber with recovered tile. The aim is to let honest materials and clear contrasts tell the story of the place.
The approach shapes projects such as CASU Residence, a 1930s winery reborn as a family house where a new courtyard anchors daily life while honouring the region’s vinicultural past. Published internationally, the project shows the studio’s knack for balancing heritage with contemporary comfort. Similar care guides smaller works like Casa de Inés, where subtle structural tweaks open long views across the Valencian countryside.
Beyond private homes, the studio advises on heritage restorations and rural tourism ventures, always prioritising passive climate strategies, local craft, and low-impact construction. For Belén Ilarri, architecture is a quiet act of stewardship—giving old walls fresh purpose without erasing the memories they hold.
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