ARTISTAS | NOMOS arquitectos

The apartment is situated on a portion of the third floor within a small residential building, flanked by neighboring structures, dating back to the early 20th century in Tetuán neighborhood. It has windows facing both Artistas Street and the inner courtyard of the block.

The spatial arrangement is defined by four separate sections, delineated by load-bearing walls parallel to the building's facades. Within these confines are two bedrooms with limited natural light and ventilation. The kitchen and bathroom overlook the inner courtyard, while the living room and main bedroom open up to Artistas Street through three balconies. The existing layout doesn’t align with the needs of the future inhabitant of the dwelling.

The transformation project focuses especially on resolving this programmatic challenge. First, by identifying the spatial entities defined by the four bays of the dwelling. Second, by converting the central space into a multifunctional element serving the perimeter spaces, acting as a vestibule, distributor, kitchen, storage, dressing room, laundry, and bathroom all at once. Third, by proposing a space for daytime activities (living and dining area) facing the street, and a space for nighttime-use (bedroom and study) facing the inner courtyard.

This rational approach to redistributing and conceptualizing spaces is visually disrupted by the introduction of two circular granite surfaces that deviate from the established order. These surfaces blur the lines between different areas, connecting them and accommodating various functions along their path.

This break with the inherent order of space is emphasized by the material and chromatic choices, applied as a pop collage, reflecting the client's lifestyle and preferences. In this sense, a variety of materials such as national granite, birch plywood, sandy ceramic tile flooring, blue porcelain stoneware, varnished yellow MDF board, mirrors, and various metallic elements painted in green are introduced. The goal is to endow the new home with a timeless quality from the 21st century, connecting the multiple times of inhabiting the dwelling while preserving the textures and traces of the existing surfaces, reflecting the previous life of the residence.

Team: Paul Galindo Pastre, Ophélie Herranz Lespagnol, Elisa Marcos Celador, Guillermo Pozo Arribas, María Martínez Bengoa, Giovanni Ratto, Matilde Caviglia

Photography: Asier Rúa

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