Fuses Viader Arquitectes has transformed a 19th-century fortress near the Spanish city of Girona into a museum and hotel complex featuring concrete, glass and weathered-steel.
The former fortress of Sant Julià de Ramis was deserted before its new owners, the Barcelona-based D'or Joiers jewellery company, commissioned Fuses Viader Arquitectes to oversee its renovation.

Located in the village of Sant Julià de Ramis, to the north of Girona, the fortress now contains the D'or Museum. In addition to the cultural facility, the complex contains a hotel, two restaurants, an auditorium and artists' studios.
The building takes advantage of the fortification's hilltop site, which commands panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.

Many of the existing vaulted spaces are partly submerged in the mountain and connected by a series of tunnels. These rooms are enclosed by thick walls made from solid stone, which the architects endeavoured to retain and incorporate into the updated scheme. In areas requiring additional structural support or new building work, reinforced concrete and a palette of complementary materials was used to maintain a sense of consistency between the old and new parts of the complex.

"Being a project that combines restoration and new construction, there are two basic building solutions," explained Fuses Viader Arquitectes.
"The prominent one keeps the austere fortress spirit of the existing castle, with half-buried walls and green roof covere...