Cal Maco, modernist building converted into a hostel

06.09.2023 | Hospitality

HANDY in Cal Maco Hostel

The Cal Maco Hostel in Igualada (Spain) opened its doors in 2022 to commemorate the fifth centenary of the Ignatian Way, the spiritual route followed by Saint Ignatius of Loyola. The city, through which also passes the Way, did not have sufficient infrastructure to accommodate all the pilgrims. To prevent them from having to travel to neighbouring towns, one of Igualada's most emblematic buildings, Cal Maco, was fitted out, giving it a triple function: hostel, interpretation centre and tourism office.

The architects Carles Crespo and Albert Albareda were responsible for the restoration of this modernist building dating from 1914. The ground floor has been used for the interpretation centre and the tourism office. The first floor houses the hostel's common areas (reading and work area, dining room, kitchen and bathrooms), while the second and third floors house the common and individual bedrooms.

Multifunctional furniture for a versatile facility

An installation of such characteristics required a piece of multifunctional furniture that would fit into its multiple spaces. And it could be none other than the HANDY Stool designed by Stephen Philips (ARUP) for Sellex, which, with 56 units in Musgo Green, Anthracite, Camel and White, equips Cal Maco.

HANDY, light and stackable, unfolds its full potential as a seat and bedside table in the hostel's bedrooms, as well as auxiliary furniture in its common areas and in the tourism office. Its use also extends to work spaces, as Cal Maco's staff tell us: 'sometimes we also use it to sit and work because it is very comfortable!”.

At Sellex we are pleased to see that pieces of furniture such as the HANDY Stool bring functionality to facilities as versatile as the Cal Maco Hostel.