# Travertine Transformation in Banyoles Historic Center

Local stone reshapes the urban fabric of Spain's medieval town.

- **Source:** [architecture archives | designboom | architecture & design magazine](https://brifing.si/source/1e716da2-18e6-4704-96a6-818e7860b99f)
- **Published:** 2026-08-17
- **Topic:** [Business](https://brifing.si/c/business)
- **Original article:** <https://www.designboom.com/architecture/carved-travertine-transforms-paving-furniture-and-planting-across-spanish-historic-old-town/>
- **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/4ec827d9-78c5-4eae-b6d8-8ddff489ebc6

## 30-Year Urban Strategy

MIAS Architects' transformation project in Banyoles' historic center has reached its final phase 30 years after initial sketches. Using local lacustrine travertine as primary material, the project reorganizes medieval streets while revealing historic water channels to create a continuous pedestrian landscape. The first construction phase was completed two decades ago, establishing the material language continued in current interventions.

## Versatile Travertine Applications

In the latest phase, travertine extends beyond horizontal planes to form benches, edges, planting beds, and level changes. Large blocks are cut and carved to expose different stone layers. The alternation between smooth horizontal surfaces and rough vertical cuts creates a material language referencing surrounding facades and geological strata, blending contemporary design with historical context.

## Plaça d'en Ges Reinvented

Around the existing plane tree and cast-iron fountain, travertine forms a continuous perimeter defining a smaller urban space within the square. The former traffic island transforms into a pedestrian area where stone functions simultaneously as paving, seating, landscape edging, and planting infrastructure. This multifunctional approach creates cohesive public spaces while respecting historical elements.

## Fusion of Traditional and Digital Techniques

The project combines emerging stone-cutting technologies with traditional craftsmanship and on-site adaptations. This hybrid approach allows each block to be configured according to its specific position and function. Digital fabrication paired with artisanal techniques enables MIAS Architects to explore new design possibilities for public spaces while maintaining material authenticity.

## Integrated Public Realm Design

The intervention treats paving, furniture, and planting as interconnected components of public space. Travertine blocks create thresholds, seating areas, level changes, and small green spaces, demonstrating the material's versatility at various scales. Previously fragmented residual areas become part of the pedestrian network, transforming narrow streets into civic routes and defining Plaça d'en Ges as a contained urban space.

## Preserving Historical Fabric

The material strategy maintains close dialogue with the scale of surrounding historic buildings. Minimal metal detailing and discreet lighting complement the travertine without introducing competing visual elements. The project successfully bridges Banyoles' material history with contemporary urban design methods, creating a harmonious balance between preservation and innovation.

## Long-Term Material Philosophy

The final phase extends the architectural language established in earlier refurbishments, adapting the same local stone into new forms and applications. Travertine's transformation from paving to seating, retaining edges, and planting beds demonstrates how a consistent material system can evolve to meet changing spatial requirements while maintaining continuity across decades of construction.

## Sustainable Urban Legacy

The completed intervention reinforces a decades-long strategy of creating coherent pedestrian landscapes in Banyoles' historic center. By connecting the town's material heritage with contemporary design methods, the project highlights the critical role of local materials in sustainable urban transformation. This approach serves as a model for heritage-sensitive urban regeneration worldwide.

## Sources covering this story

- https://www.designboom.com/architecture/carved-travertine-transforms-paving-furniture-and-planting-across-spanish-historic-old-town/ — 

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_Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._