soto-lay architects was formed in 2007, combining the independent practices of its directors santi soto and charmaine lay.
This practice embraces all scales of architecture: town-planning, singular buildings, one family houses, the renovation and refurbishment of existing buildings and interior design, and finally culminates at the scale of a piece of furniture.
We are as passionate about the refurbishment of a kitchen as the design of a one-family house or a large public building.

We are a tri-lingual office and work in english, spanish and catalan

services
comprehensive design services (project and direction of works) in:

architecture (new-build, renovation and refurbishment)
interior design (residential and commercial)
furniture design

partial design services
concept/preliminary proposals
technical design ("proyecto básico" for obtaining planning permission)
tender design
direction of site-work

we offer a close working relationship with the client to fulfill his/her programmatic needs we advise and consult with the client during the design process to achieve the best design and spatial solutions possible within the budget
we will follow through planning permission applications and take on all necessary negotiations about the project with the local authority
we carefully oversee and coordinate the entire building process paying every attention to detail


who we are


charmaine lay
graduates in architecture from the BARTLETT SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE (UCL) in 1994.
has worked in various architectural offices in Barcelona and London
co-partner of CLCM Architects with Carles Muro between 1995 and 2007
has taught interior design at the BAU School of Design and currently teaches  at the ISTITUTO EUROPEO DI DESIGN and co-runs the Interior Design Thesis Project programme at ELISAVA SCHOOL OF DESIGN
santi soto
graduates in architecture from ETSAV in 1992
amongst the prizes awarded is the GRAN PREMI FAD D’INTERIORISME in 1991
has taught interior design at the BAU SCHOOL OF DESIGN  and the INSTITUT GAUDÍ DE LA CONSTRUCCIÓ
he currently teaches design at the ETSAV School of Architecture (UPC)
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selection of projects


RENOVATION AND REFURBISHMENT OF SEMI-BASEMENT FLAT IN GRAÇIA

RENOVATION AND REFURBISHMENT OF SEMI-BASEMENT FLAT IN GRAÇIA
photos: michele curel

The building is situated on a sloped site in such a way that the part of the dwelling nearest the road is buried underground and the back opens onto a private garden.

This semi-basement garden flat was full of potential, but was plagued with rising damp. This problem was solved by injecting resins into the structural walls, demolishing the partition walls and building new walls upon a new raised ventilated floor slab.

The new partition walls are raised only to the height of the doors, and the space above is filled with glass so that the vaulted ceilings and their beams are never intercepted by a solid wall and become extensive, continuous planes.

The central area houses the kitchen and the bathrooms as well as an open space outside the kitchen that may be used as a library.

The kitchen is closed off with glass so that it becomes part of this central space rather than a separate, isolated room. Its work surface and splashback are made of seamless stainless-steel with incorporated sinks.

A long bookshelf is the boundary between the living/dining room and the two main bedrooms. Sliding doors slip between the bookshelf and the built-in wardrobes behind to close off the bedrooms. A painted mdf panel is the continuation of these sliding doors which becomes an element that runs through the whole dwelling, accommodating hidden cupboards, doors and the front door. It reflects light that enters from the garden into the otherwise dark entrance hall. Inversely, it is the element that meets you at the entrance and draws you through into the heart of the dwelling



TWO NEW-BUILD HOUSES IN SANT CUGAT

TWO NEW-BUILD HOUSES IN SANT CUGAT

HOUSE 1

HOUSE 1

HOUSE 2

HOUSE 2

REFURBISHMENT OF THE MARGA A. SENNACHERRIBO ART GALLERY (turo parc, barcelona)

REFURBISHMENT OF THE MARGA A. SENNACHERRIBO ART GALLERY (turo parc, barcelona)
photos: adrià goula

6 BROWN BRICK HOUSES (can vilallonga, sant cugat)

6 BROWN BRICK HOUSES (can vilallonga, sant cugat)

6 WHITE BRICK HOUSES (can vilallonga, sant cugat)

6 WHITE BRICK HOUSES (can vilallonga, sant cugat)

PEREC BOOKSHELF SYSTEM (with carles muro)

Until now, the best shelving systems on the market have largely addressed issues of versatility, load-bearing, assembly etc. When a generic shelf is used for storing books, it performs well either when completely full - not one book can be added or removed- or when it is supplemented with a number of bookends. Otherwise the books lose balance, fall to one side and eventually become damaged. We propose a shelf specifically thought for books; A bookshelf that takes advantage of the weight of the books to achieve a permanent state of equilibrium, regardless of the number of books sitting on the shelf: a living bookshelg. We have simply introduced a small inclination to what traditionally has been the horizontal shelf. The horizontal displacement of the modules allows for the creation of an infinite number of mosaic-like patterns on the wall, as well as accomodating books of different sizes. We presented a series of variations based on the same geometric principle of which the first, PEREC, is produced by PuntMobles (http://www.puntmobles.es/).

the problem

the problem

A SOLUTION (THE END OF THE BOOKEND)

A SOLUTION (THE END OF THE BOOKEND)