Dolores and Maxime Batselaere of DOMAX Ibiza on returning a 19th century finca to its former at-one-with-nature glory.
For Dolores and Maxime Batselaere, every dwelling has its own distinct personality – and it’s down to the duo to design in a way that embraces each building’s disposition. Some – like Can Terra – have a stronger sense of self than others. Frenetic Ibiza Town isn’t far from this characterful finca set in 57,000 square metres of olive groves, but its voice rings as clearly now as it did when the pair – co-creators of eponymous island studio DOMAX Ibiza – embarked on an extensive two-year renovation.
“From the moment we first saw Can Terra, we just felt her power,” they reveal fondly, as though referring to an old friend. “Not only in terms of scale, but aura – she had this wild uniqueness, a kind of magnetic pull that told us to bring her back.”
Revival was long overdue. With a collapsing roof, and mountains of debris scattered around, nature was reclaiming everything, recalls Dolores, who after more than 20 years of renovating solo now works side-by-side with daughter Maxime. “Our intention was never to erase or make something new. We wanted to honour her authenticity by instilling the comfort, softness and practicality of modern living without losing her original soul,” she explains. “She already had everything she needed – our job was to let her breathe again.”
If the result feels natural, intuitive, organic even, it’s down to the process, which for the pair always involves listening to the house in question. “With a place built in the 1800s, that’s non-negotiable,” Maxime notes. Certain elements – from the thick stone walls to the original structure – were deemed untouchable. “Our role wasn’t to reinvent, but to translate into today’s world. We wanted to modernise without betraying what the builders intended two centuries ago.”
Original architecture and modern interventions certainly find an equilibrium, notably in the materials used. Stone and wood are given hero status throughout, alongside stretches of smooth micro cement, selected for ease and a modern touch (“it ages beautifully and keeps maintenance simple”). Meanwhile, a textured, timeworn effect wall finish accentuates the “old soul feeling” while also remaining fresh and contemporary.
“Ibiza doesn’t let you fake anything – and this house demanded total respect for the past while allowing space for a new future”
Balance is a theme throughout. Ancient stone terraces lead to a saltwater pool; caves have been transformed into a hammam and wine cellar, while in one of seven serene bedrooms, a rainfall shower sits inserted beneath a monumental fireplace. The inside and outside synthesise, too. “From the beginning, the house spoke for herself,” the pair reiterates. “The outdoor areas were already vast and majestic – with secret gardens and hidden details tucked away. Guided by the setting, we wanted to give the finca a second life and make the flow between indoors and outdoors effortless, as if the house continues seamlessly into nature.”
The silence, they explain, spoke volumes, not least because it enabled the finca to be heard. “With the mountain rising in the background like a guardian, the whole place felt mysterious, private, almost sacred,” they reflect. “The finca had an energy we hadn’t found anywhere else – something resounding, untouched and deeply rooted in the land.”
Embracing that untouched expanse beyond, huge metal-framed windows – a finishing flourish that had long been on the DOMAX Ibiza wish list – open up the main living space to the elements. “None of our previous houses asked for them, but this one did – loudly,” Dolores smiles. “The living area needed something raw yet refined, a bit rustic with a crisp modern outline.”
The house also demanded that Dolores and Maxime step outside of their collective comfort zone – and eschew their tendency to gravitate towards loom textures and warmer palettes for something altogether more simplistic. “This house was shouting for a pure, authentic finca expression – and we listened.”
Elsewhere, elements of the unexpected lift the design. A hammam that “fits like it was always meant to exist”; a central fireplace in the living room that’s “timeless yet completely surprising”. More than any project before, the island guided the studio’s hand and provided the ultimate inspiration. “The original stones, the Sabina beams, the layers of history that have existed from the 1800s, we had to honour every chapter the building had lived through,” muses Maxime. “Ibiza doesn’t let you fake anything – and this house demanded total respect for the past while allowing space for a new future.”
Can Terra is currently for sale for €5,950,000.
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