Melilla

Thanks to the initiative of the government of the Autonomous City of Melilla, through its Municipal Housing and Land Company (EMVISMESA), we had the opportunity to work in a city boasting one of the most extensive Art Nouveau architectural portfolios known today. In close collaboration with local historians, including Antonio Bravo Nieto, we carried out extensive documentary research, followed by a thorough review of the municipal heritage registry and a comprehensive inventory of its Art Nouveau facades.

Our study also traced and documented the manufacturers, materials, textures, and color schemes that defined this vast architectural repertoire. The creators behind Melilla’s molded artificial stone ornaments, sgraffito and burnished stuccos, wrought-iron work, and stained glass windows were the result of peninsular entrepreneurs and Moroccan artisans working together—seamlessly fusing traditional Catalan “fire-ironed” marbled stuccos with the Maghrebi tadelakt plastering technique. The resulting chromatic palette—rich in unique blues, pearlescent tones, and soft yellows—is entirely exclusive to the city’s geographic enclave and cultural identity. Additionally, the project included the restoration of the City Hall facade (the seat of the autonomous government) alongside other landmark structures, all backed by individualized chromatic studies.