extension refurbishment mill 07 felanitx, majorca
In 2007, British architect Jim Sims acquired the ruinous remains of a former windmill located near the town center. What at first glance appeared to be a hopeless case—crumbled and partially collapsed walls, fallen ceilings, damp interiors, and rampant vegetation—revealed itself, through the eyes of a seasoned professional, as a structure rich in potential, deeply rooted in historical substance and local identity. The preserved mill tower, a hallmark of Mallorca’s rural industrial heritage, became the focal point for a meticulous and multi-year restoration project carried out in accordance with heritage conservation principles.
The condition documented in the initial survey photographs speaks volumes: brittle lime plasters, displaced load-bearing structures, unreinforced wall openings, widespread loss of façades, and the disappearance of traditional elements such as wooden shutters or clay tile copings. Decades of abandonment, lack of use, and penetrating moisture had left the ensemble structurally compromised and at risk of total disintegration.
What followed was a model process of heritage-sensitive renovation, executed in compliance with all local authority regulations—albeit not without bureaucratic conflict. As Sims himself remarked, “Had we taken the Mallorcan guerrilla route, we would have saved six years.” Instead, the project, internally labeled M1-07, evolved into a textbook example of how misunderstood cultural assets can be carefully reimagined through expertise, patience, and respect for local historical context.
Following the principle of continuity through care, the remaining elements of the original structure were stabilized, supplemented, and consolidated. Only traditional construction techniques were used—lime-based mortars, hand-selected natural stone blocks, and reconstructions of original timber components. New architectural features, such as window and door surrounds, were crafted in local mares sandstone, selected to match the formal and tactile qualities of the historic fabric.
The completed architectural intervention reveals a concept of refined restraint: the original volumetric configuration was preserved; new additions are deliberately legible and yet merge seamlessly with the ensemble. The tower continues to serve as the vertical anchor, complemented by a composition of lower, orthogonally arranged volumes organized around patios and exterior spaces in the tradition of vernacular Mediterranean architecture. Contemporary elements—such as floor-to-ceiling glazing, flush-set frames, and minimal wall-mounted lighting—were integrated with subtlety, ensuring the new layer of design harmonizes with the aged patina of the site.
Particularly noteworthy is the treatment of historical traces: a remnant timber lintel above a once-open passage remains embedded, deliberately left as a time mark. Cracks in the plaster are not concealed, but acknowledged and integrated as narrative fragments within the overall composition. A nuanced material palette—smooth, finely-washed plaster juxtaposed against rougher existing masonry—creates a richly textured, yet harmonious architectural skin.
The exterior landscape design, including the pool terrace, draws on the orthogonal layout of traditional Mallorcan patios, reinterpreted through a contemporary landscape language. Modular paving, planted troughs, and low stair risers are inserted with compositional clarity. Rather than introducing extensive greenery, the planting strategy is restrained, emphasizing succulents and palm species adapted to the Mediterranean microclimate—delivering a coherent ecological and aesthetic response.
This transformation stands as an exemplary case of how a severely damaged cultural monument can be translated into a functional, contemporary dwelling through informed architectural intervention and a profound understanding of place, materials, and architectural history. It simultaneously serves as an appeal to planning authorities to recognize the potential of such structures before they are rescued by private initiative.
The final balance after seven years of planning, permits, and construction: a ruin reinterpreted as a sensitive manifesto of heritage preservation, and a compelling demonstration of the potential of architectural archaeology—a design ethos that not only respects the existing but activates its fragmentary nature to create architecture that is authentic, poetic, and rooted in context.
Sometimes, abandoned ruins require the passion and perseverance of creative minds. Jim Sims is one of those, and with remarkable stamina. The heritage office, however, proved an uncooperative adversary. M1-07 was neither registered nor officially recognized as worth preserving. It was only Sims’ initiative to make the structure livable that awakened the bureaucratic ghosts. Upon final inspection, the previously indifferent officials suddenly insisted that this ruin was an extraordinarily rare and culturally significant artifact, one of only two of its kind, and deserved due tribute.
We leave it there.
project: 0711
size: 305 m2 (construction, pool), 289 m2 (exterior)
construction area: 467 m2 (incl. terrace)
client: jim sims
location: felanitx, majorca
type: heritage single family house with pool
team (building): jle, sims
team (exterior): jle, sims
responsable architect: jle
