The Nau Vella of Can Manyer is an industrial building constructed in 1882, attributed to architect Rafael Guastavino due to its date and the characteristic style of its structure. Located in the historic center of Vilassar de Dalt, it forms part of the Can Manyer complex, composed of two rectangular-plan buildings (one of which has recently been renovated to house the municipal library) and a third, smaller volume—the La Força building—currently unused. The three volumes surround a semi-enclosed U-shaped central courtyard and are part of the BCIN (Cultural Asset of National Interest) known as La Massa, a complex that also includes the La Massa Theatre, also designed by Guastavino.

The building is distributed over a ground floor and a first floor. In the fourth and final phase of the project, the first floor will be adapted as an exhibition hall, and an additional floor will be constructed to include a bar and terrace area, aiming to restore the building’s original volume. The ground floor has already been adapted to house the textile museum, while the first floor is currently used as a storage area.

The rehabilitation project was developed in three phases. The first phase consisted of minimal interior adaptation and the relocation of the textile museum machinery. The second and third phases included restoration and structural refurbishment, with special attention to the preservation of the cast iron columns and Catalan vaults, the reconstruction of original openings and façades, and the interior adaptation for museum use, including accessible restroom facilities. These phases can be detailed as follows:

Phase 1 (completed): Minimal adaptation of the interior of the building and relocation of the textile museum machinery to its new site.

Phase 2 (completed): Exterior adaptation of the current volume with recovery of the original façade composition and creation of a new main entrance. Interior adaptation with restoration and repair of the cast iron columns and Catalan vaults that define the floor slabs of the ground and first floors.

Phase 3 (completed): Installation of new service connections, interior adaptation for museum use on the ground floor and storage use on the first floor, with the addition of a restroom module. To maximize the reuse of elements from the old factory, some original furniture pieces and interior partitions will be restored and adapted to the new function as a textile museum.

Phase 4: Restoration of the building’s original volume through reconstruction of the third floor in the three bays at the west end of the building, dismantled in 2007.

This project has recovered and enhanced Guastavino’s architectural legacy, transforming the Nau Vella of Can Manyer into a landmark cultural facility that blends heritage, history, and new functionality within a unique urban setting.