NEDU | Martín Peláez

NEDU is the name of a house renovation project located in a 1882 building that belongs to the Historical Area of the Plaza Mayor in the center of Madrid.

Due to its location, you can only reach the building after walking through one of the most vibrant and tourist areas of the capital, but, contradictorily, the feeling inside the house is of a refuge in the heights. The space is quiet and bright but without clear street views, the house has only five windows that frame the sky, showing its changing colors and shapes, sunsets and sunrises. And those images gave us the visual project idea on the very first visit.

We were also inspired by the personality of our client, a very friendly and cheerful person, with the dream of having a happy space for his own (which he calls myhappyplace), with a colorful and sense of place. Also a gathering space for friends, and, being himself part of one of the biggest tech company we can not leave technology aside.

And with those ingredients we worked: color, geometry, sense of place and technology.

We found the sense of place by bringing to light its typical constructive elements, such as its original wooden pilars and beams. Beside this, we managed to connect previously separate spaces, and enjoy the total height available. 

The color, inspired by the shades of the sky and the personality of our client, ranges from the blue to the iridescent, orange and lilac tones of the sunset. We apply color in the storage pieces, furniture and on some some other surfaces.

The curved lines, inspired by the shapes of clouds, appears in the geometry of main table that embraces the wood old pilar while seems to float. The purpose of this cloud table is also to merge two areas in one, becoming it the main center of the house.

Regarding technology, our client wanted a home that could be managed from his mobile phone via Google Home application. To do this, the home facility systems are linked to the app, from where you can create custom routines, check the weather, listen the news and know the consumption of the home every minute.

The total living area is around 59 sqm, and it hosts an open main room where you can cook, meet, eat, rest, in short, where to make life. And in the more private part, hosts a full bathroom, bedroom and a home office space, which can also be an occasional bedroom.

TO REINTERPRET THE SKY: MATERIALS, COLORS, FURNITURE AND ART

In terms of materials and furniture, we follow the main project idea: interpret the sky. 

As a base, we introduce a continuous light gray flooring and painted in white the rest of the surfaces, including the wooden structure. We then, could not miss the blue color typical of the sky of Madrid, which appears in the main cabinets and kitchen finish. Also the dusk tone orange-ish that floods the entire bathroom and projects its color to the outside. And, as addtional materials we have the blue glossy tile and the orange mosaic playing in chromatic harmony.

Once we have the base canvas settled, we introduce the cloud tables. Being custom designed for this project, they are fabricated with plywood board and transparent methacrylate tubular legs, in order to achieve the floating effect. We also incorporate some color touches in the furniture cylinders that can be used as stools, caffee tables or art pedestals.

The sun could not be missed in this “sky”, for it have been introduced iridescent methacrylate panels, also of our own design, recreating its geometry and the shades of color it produces.

Mirrors are also a fundamental part of the project, applied in large format panels to create new interior “windows” for reflections and new views, and also to reinforce the sensation of light and color. 

And finally, the art. For this we have two paintings by Candela Picado de Blas that provide the point of color and fun in this naive and celestial space.

And thus, we reinterpret materially the ski in this space in the center of Madrid.

Photography: Amores Pictures

Website: https://www.albertomontielfotografia.es/