Caso Daró: An Architect's Quiet Masterpiece in Spain's Baix Empordà

PLACES & SPACES | ROOMS & GARDENS | WORLD OF CABANA

Deep in the Baix Emporda countryside, not far from the Costa Brava, lies a masterpiece in stone, discreetly folded into the region and ready to welcome the most discerning of design-loving guests. With wraparound gardens, soaring, undulating ceilings and seamless indoor-outdoor living, Casa Daró sets a high bar for contemporary residential architecture in Spain – both ambitious and humble.

BY CAMILLA FRANCES | ROOMS & GARDENS | 24 JANUARY 2025

Casa Daró: both contemporary and deeply rooted in Catalan history © Viu Empordà

Taking its name from the nearby river that runs through the Baix Empordà countryside, Casa Daró is both quietly contemporary and deeply rooted in Catalan history. The four-bedroom house, a handsome masterpiece in stone, was conceived by a Catalan couple with a penchant for interior design and a profound love of the region.

Today, it belongs to a Barcelona-based family who had long dreamed of a second home in Spain’s Empordà region, close to both the French border and the coastline of the Costa Brava. Drawn by the rural, bucolic setting and the area’s reputation as a paradise for both road and gravel cycling, the family felt an immediate connection.

“When they visited Casa Daró, it was love at first sight, and they decided to buy it immediately,” recalls Pablo Rovira. The Spanish businessman knows the area deeply too, having grown up sailing its shores and riding its landscapes. Rovira’s meticulously curated hospitality portfolio, Viu Empordà, lists the house among its properties, each hand selected for its exceptional design and architecture, and unique sense of place.

Casa Daró’s current owners divide their time between the countryside and the coast, where they also own a home, and were keen to share the property when they were not in residence. That instinct led them to Rovira. “We visited, and it was love at first sight for us as well,” he says. From the outset, there was a shared vision, with Rovira and his partner, an interior designer, reimagining a few elements before the first bookings.

Architecturally, Casa Daró is a thoughtful and deft expression of rural Emporda and its atmospheric medieval villages. The house was designed by Auquer Prats Arquitectures, a studio renowned for some of the most beautiful homes in the Baix Empordà. Their work is grounded in bio-construction principles, favoring natural materials such as earth, lime and cork, and prioritising harmony with the surrounding landscape. Here, this philosophy translates into calm, well-proportioned volumes, high ceilings, fluid interiors and a seamless dialogue between interior and exterior living.

All-natural materials create calm beneath undulating stone ceilings © Viu Empordà

Wherever you turn, the house reveals something new and enticing: multiple terraces; a canopied sitting room; a swimming pool that feels like a small work of art; a poured concrete staircase under a light well; soaring, undulating stone ceilings; an outdoor shower hidden in nature. Light moves gently through Casa Daró’s interior spaces, all of which feel as though they’ve been designed for slow living. Wherever there is a view, an alcove or a light source, there is an armchair, a desk or a bench.

When Viu Empordà took on the project, the structure, which was in "perfect condition” according to Rovira, needed no intervention at all. Instead, the focus was on the interiors, which required a refresh. What began as a light restyling evolved into a gentle, but full, interior renovation to preserve the essence of traditional Empordà houses while introducing a more contemporary European sensibility.

Led by Viu Emporda’s in-house design studio, the team set about to create “a home with soul but the comfort of a boutique hotel,” Rovira says. The house was emptied and repainted, carefully maintaining its original tones: light creams, shaded whites and soft greens. Doors and shutters, inside and out, were restored rather than replaced, reinforcing a sense of continuity. As with all Viu Empordà projects, the team began by defining a clear concept before moving into the creative phase.

Bedrooms were reimagined as serene suites, anchored by premium-quality beds, understated furnishings and earthy natural fibres. In the shared spaces, antique pieces sit comfortably alongside bespoke furniture crafted specifically for Casa Daró, complemented by contemporary design objects and layered with beautiful rugs. Art plays a quiet but important role: soft hued paintings hang alongside black-and-white photographs of the Costa Brava by Pere Ventura, a close friend of the owners and a photographer celebrated for capturing the soul of the Empordà.

Bedrooms reimagined as serene suites, with understated furnishings © Viu Empordà

Large ceramic vessels top surfaces throughout the property, filled with dried flower arrangements created by Jordi Montanà, one of the region’s most talented florists, while extra character comes from collaborations with local artists and antique dealers.

A set of outdoor 1960s wicker sofas, which once belonged to a seafront house in Begur, were sourced from Antic Alba, an antique shop specialising in restored vintage furniture, while tableware and dining chairs were found at Habita & Decora, a local furniture and decor store dedicated to local craftsmanship. A simple, but standout, iron desk on the first floor landing was custom-made by a local blacksmith.

Outside, intervention was minimal. Over two decades, the beautifully verdant wraparound garden has matured gradually, its planting now fully integrated with the naturalistic architecture. Olive trees, grasses and shaded corners create spaces for reading, lazy lunches or simply watching the light change across the day.

For Rovira, Casa Daró embodies the ideal Viu Empordà home from home. “I look for properties with soul — places that reflect the essence of the Empordà,” he says. It is not about overt luxury, but about authenticity, balance and a strong sense of place.

“A house must have something special: light, proportion, calm — that subtle harmony that makes you feel good the moment you step inside.” He describes visiting potential properties and imagining the joy of daily rituals there: waking up to sweeping views, breakfast in the garden, lazy lunches on the terrace, watching the sunset with a glass of wine. If that feeling exists, he knows it belongs.

“For me, the Empordà is a way of life,” reflects Pablo Rovira © Viu Empordà

Rovira founded Viu Empordà in 2020, after more than a decade working in bespoke travel across Spain. Designing tailor-made journeys taught him the importance of detail and storytelling — of understanding not just where people go, but why they go and how they feel when they are there. Having spent much of his life in the Empordà, he felt compelled to create something rooted in the region. “For me, the Empordà is a way of life,” he reflects. “It’s that balance between calm and inspiration, between the sea and the countryside, between simplicity and the beauty of things well made.”

Today, Viu Empordà curates around 20 properties, each chosen for its unique character and quiet beauty. Casa Daró is one of its most eloquent expressions: a house that does not shout for attention, but gently draws you in and catches you almost by surprise with its unfolding beauty and architectural masterstrokes. It offers not just a place to stay, but a way to experience, and fall in love with, the Empordà.

Casa Daró is one of 20 beautiful properties curated by Viu Empordà, Spain. 

www.viuemporda.com