A place of my own: A slice of history

When property developer Lane Auten invested in a six-storey building in the Ciutat Vella, he didn’t originally envisage keeping one of the newly renovated apartments for himself. Nevertheless, converting the ground floor space for him and his wife, Nieves Prieto, has proved a wise decision, giving the couple a central base where they can relax and host friends and family.

Upon entering the white, marble-lined lobby of the apartment block, the contrast with the shadowed streets of El Call, the old Jewish Quarter, is stark. “We wanted it to be noticeable, but welcoming,” said Nieves. Off the lobby, the door to their apartment opens directly into a grand, multi-use space, which takes up the entire left side of the building. With ceilings five metres high, the room is split into a lounge area, dining area and kitchen and is ideal for entertaining. Next to the state-of-the-art kitchen, clad in green marble and brass, a corridor leads to the right-hand wing, forming a U-shape around the central courtyard and lobby. The corridor is lined with sliding doors that open into a succession of bedrooms and bathrooms, tucked into minimalist pod-like structures.

Much like the entry room, the right-hand wing is a long space stretching the length of the building. While it may eventually become an office, it currently doesn’t have a set function. Often used as a gathering space for events, it is decorated with waist-high wine barrels from Lane’s Priorat wine cellar, Perinet, along with a drum kit, a vintage film spotlight and a large metal Cinzano sign. Modern glass stairs disappear into the floor, gradually transitioning into terracotta-tiled steps. These lead down into the stone cellar, where Lane plans to create a wine-tasting room for the vineyard.

Sitting within the Roman city walls, preserving the history of the 14th-century building was a priority. It is located next door to the city’s ancient synagogue, which dates back to the third century, and was once the rabbi’s house—former openings to passageways between the two buildings can still be spotted in the thick cellar walls. To accentuate this heritage, the couple stripped back the walls to reveal a jumble of stone, brick and concrete, which visibly changes composition as newer walls have been added.

The biggest challenge was balancing the building’s heritage with a need for modernity. “Whenever you carry out building works within the Roman city walls, you have to hire the city’s own archeologists—just in case you’re about to build on something extremely significant,” Lane said. This was a worry for the developers but, although some Roman constructions were unearthed, the project was given the go-ahead. Currently the ruins remain buried under the temporary protection of sand and tiles but, ultimately, Lane and Nieves hope to display them under a glass floor.

The couple have modernised the historic apartment with a range of eclectic items. “It’s medieval craziness—think David Lynch meets Frankenstein,” laughed Lane. In the main living area, suspended candles and a chandelier hang over a Roche Bobois dining table, with a gilt-framed mirror and ornate oil paintings on the walls. These ornate accents contrast with a sleek James Bond-esque coffee table with a hidden, pop-up bar and a huge wall hanging depicting a skull. The height and length of the room means that each piece can be admired individually and the space doesn’t feel overly crowded.

The diverse mix of design styles is thanks to Nieves, a Barcelona native who studied fine arts and now works in film. “There isn’t really a theme. I just look around and when I see something I like, I buy it and make it fit,” she said. Her favourite part of the apartment is the lounge area, which is designed as a mini home cinema. Behind a rising projection screen, plush red velvet curtains create a classic Twenties vibe, complemented by lights hidden under bowler hats, an accent inspired by Nieves’ love for old musicals.

The spacious right-hand wing is also dominated by unique pieces sourced from auctions and vintage shops. An oversized antique weighing scale sits on the floor, which Nieves wants to customise with books, “to show the weight of knowledge”. On the opposite wall, a poster from the 1976 cult film Bluff: Storia di truffe e di imbroglioni is another quirky reference to her love of cinematography. 

Lane and Nieves don’t live here, but they pop into the apartment at least twice a week when they’re in the city centre. They both love to cook and host dinner parties for friends, and events for the wine business or for Lane’s charity, Mar de Somnis, which aims to improve the lives of children with epilepsy. The apartment also comes in handy whenever family and friends come to visit. 

Despite it not being their full-time residence, the couple have left their stamp on the space and love to use it whenever possible. “Here, we have a lot of fun,” Nieves said, smiling at her husband.