In the city of Gothic, Gaudí, and Gehry, the Barcelona EDITION is a welcome newcomer for visitors and residents alike seeking a vibrant destination to eat, drink, and play. Located in the central Ciutat Vella district, the hotel looks onto the bustling Francesc Cambó square and landmark Santa Caterina Market.

Locally based architects Carlos Ferrater and Xavier Martí transformed an outdated office building into a sleek, glass-fronted design that speaks to the historic neighborhood while introducing a fresh, modern vernacular. “The objective was to find a way to fit a new hotel concept so it could still be connected, adapted, and opened to the old city,” says Ferrater, who designed the pointed, jet-black façade as a striking counterpoint to Santa Caterina’s undulating, multicolor roof.

For the interiors, local designer Lázaro Rosa-Violán sought to create “a hotel that speaks of the city from a luxurious perspective,” he explains. Adds Ian Schrager, who conceived the project: “The location is very cool, very artistic, very adventurous, and full of sophisticated people. It’s a cosmopolitan city, so we tried to give it a sense of time and place” while “staying true to our aesthetic, which is very simple.”

That harmony begins in the entrance and lobby, resplendent in cream tones, walnut, and black marble, and furnished with pieces by Catalan masters Salvador Dalí and Antoni Gaudí. The traditional living room lounge gives way to a more intimate, low-lit space with sheepskin armchairs and a fluorescent tube installation by Spanish visual artist Carlos Coronas.

“Inside, we find small details that take us to the streets of Barcelona,” reveals Rosa-Violán, including “the traditional trencadís mosaics that characterize the most emblematic buildings in the city, the warm sepia- and orange-toned lighting that transport us to a Mediterranean sunset, or the bottle rack on the bar inspired by the galleries of the Eixample neighborhood.”

In the 100 guestrooms and suites, embossed Spanish leather headboards take cues from the floral motifs found on the city’s façades, while paneled walls are adorned with photographs depicting traditional Spanish and Catalan scenes.

Indeed, the seductive EDITION captures “the essence of its environment,” says Rosa-Violán, “creating a unique experience that’s different from conventional luxury.”