Reus will add another modernist site to its heritage map this autumn, when Vil·la Maria opens to the public in October after restoration work led by the Reus-based cultural organisation Còdol Experiències Culturals.
The villa, designed by Pere Caselles in 1908, is in the Roquís area of Reus. Its opening will sit alongside other well-known local modernist landmarks, including Casa Navàs and Institut Pere Mata.
The rehabilitation began in August last year and has kept the building’s original design intact. The structure was in good condition for its age, but work has included shoring up the facade and interior finishes. The team expects to complete the project this summer. One of the most difficult parts was the loggia, where badly damaged beams had to be replaced and floor tiles rebuilt piece by piece.
Restoration work has also brought back some of the villa’s key features, including hydraulic pavements, decorative ceramics and murals. The loggia, which opens onto the garden, reflects the modernist link between architecture and nature. New elements needed for public use have been designed so they can be clearly distinguished from the original heritage fabric.
Vil·la Maria was built at around the same time as Institut Pere Mata. Caselles, who served as Reus municipal architect for more than three decades and worked closely with Lluís Domènech i Montaner, included decorative elements from the psychiatric centre in the villa, and some remain today. The project has also received support from the Generalitat de Catalunya through the Office of Cultural Initiative Support (OSIC), the Catalan Institute of Cultural Companies (ICEC) and the Department of Business and Work, as well as from Tarragona Provincial Council. The owners granted long-term use of the property.
Beyond the heritage work, the building will become the new headquarters of Còdol Experiències Culturals, which has worked in cultural education and outreach for more than 30 years. The group plans a regular programme of activities there, with a focus on social economy, community health, regenerative cultures, urban rewilding and sustainability. Reus municipal authorities visited the site on Wednesday, and Mayor Sandra Guaita planted a rose bush as a symbolic gesture linked to the city’s emblem and to modernist imagery.
