Steelworks
By Michael Mueller
When Marta opened Steelworks in 1996, a piercing studio was still an unusual sight in Barcelona. She’s still piercing at the shop on Carrer de les Magdalenes, off Via Laietana near the Palau de la Música, with clients who’ve been coming for years. Tattooing joined the business in 2007; resident tattooer Santi Cuevas works in geometric and dotwork styles. Marta once declined an industrial piercing on an ear she thought wouldn’t heal well, and suggested alternatives. She also does genital piercings and helps with troublesome work done elsewhere, including a piercing she addressed by changing the jewelry. She speaks several languages and stays in touch with her clients through healing.
The shop sells jewelry separately, and regulars return simply to change a piece. Inside, the room is calm and sleek, with music in the background. Piercing clients have been accommodated on a walk-in basis; tattoos are by appointment, arranged by email, phone or a message on Instagram or WhatsApp.
Update (October 2026): this place is temporarily closed.