Title

Author(s)

Ariadna Perich Capdeferro, Roger Such Sanmartín

Affiliation

ETSAB Barcelona School of Architecture

DOI

https://doi.org/10.65686/RIZO1473

Keywords

Lluís Maria Vidal i Arderiu, Santa Maria de Lillet, Tectonics-Stereotomy

PP

756-761

How to Cite

Perich Capdeferro, Ariadna, Roger Such Sanmartín. “Contrasting Dialogues Lluís Ma Vidal i Arderiu and the Intervention at Santa Maria de Lillet.” In Proceedings of the International Conference on Adaptive Reuse. Volume 1, edited by Andrea Crudeli, Francesca Molle, and Emanuele Carrai, 756–761. Firenze: STH Press, 2026.

Abstract

The intervention at the monastery of Santa Maria de Lillet in Berguedà, Catalonia, exemplifies the innovative and experimental approach of Lluís Ma Vidal i Arderiu, a largely overlooked figure in contemporary Catalan architecture. Conducted between 1989 and 1992, the project involved the consolidation, rehabilitation, and reinterpretation of a 9th-century Romanesque monastery situated in a remote and rugged landscape. By the late 1980s, only the church roof remained intact, while the cloister, monastic quarters, and ancillary agricultural structures were in a state of near ruin.
With limited possibilities for full restoration, Vidal i Arderiu devised a radically original strategy, combining minimal consolidation of the historic fabric with the insertion of a lightweight, demountable, and nearly transparent metallic scaffold. This intervention established a new spatial and conceptual dialogue with the original building. The contrast between the massive, stereotomic stone walls of the Romanesque church and the delicate, white, tectonic metallic structure, positioned diagonally across the site, became a defining feature of the project. The scaffold’s diagonal orientation intensified the tension between old and new while guiding visitors toward an elevated walkway-roof, offering views of both the ruins and the surrounding Pyrenean landscape.
Vidal i Arderiu’s intervention exemplifies a careful balance between preservation and innovation, demonstrating how minimal, radical, and performative strategies can enhance historic structures without compromising their integrity. Anticipating contemporary discourses on ephemeral architecture, scenography, and structural ingenuity, the project emphasizes material contrast, precise detailing, and sensitivity to both landscape and heritage. Despite remaining largely unknown outside Catalonia, Vidal i Arderiu’s work reveals a pioneering architectural vision, combining experimentation with historical and environmental awareness, and positioning him as a discreet yet influential figure in late 20th-century architectural practice.

Edited by
Andrea Crudeli
Francesca Molle
Emanuele Carrai

Publisher
STH Press, Firenze

ISBN Paperback – 9791281661141
ISBN Ebook – 9791281661158
DOI – https://doi.org/10.65686/SISY7263

Year
2026

Proceedings of
International Conference on Adaptive Reuse
hosted by The University of Pisa, Italy
15-19 September 2025, at the Gispoteca di Arte Antica dell’Università di Pisa.