Casa Cometa | Bardo Arquitectura
Madrid / Spain / 2024
This renovation project in Madrid was quite an unusual case. A poorly planned construction had left the roof on the verge of collapse. We proposed adding a second floor that would solve the structural issues while also creating a new livable space.
The biggest challenge was designing a roof that could function as a large inhabitable truss. It had to be lightweight—so as not to overload the structure—but also strong. Together with our structural engineer, Manuel Ocaña, we arrived at a highly precise solution: a lightweight tubular structure with anchor points distributed across the entire surface. By "atomizing" the supports, we avoided stress concentrations and gained rigidity, as if stitching the roof together.
The result was a structure that is both solid and light, while also adding a new space to rest or unwind—without compromising the home’s stability.
The structure evoked a sense of weightlessness for me, like a kite floating in the air. That image inspired everything: the name, the materials, the colors… That’s how Casa Cometa was born. The idea of weightlessness guided all material choices.
Upstairs, we used sky blues and luminous creams to enhance the feeling of lightness. Downstairs, deeper, heavier tones—dark blues, wood, terracotta—visually anchored the space. In between, we introduced cool, reflective materials like mirrors, glass bricks, and steel to amplify the light and accentuate the sensation of a house that floats.
[ES]
Este proyecto de reforma en Madrid fue un caso bastante atípico. Una obra mal planificada dejó la cubierta al borde del colapso. Propusimos una segunda planta que resolvía los problemas estructurales y, de paso, añadía un nuevo espacio habitable. El mayor reto fue diseñar una cubierta que funcionara como una gran cercha habitable. Tenía que ser ligera, para no sobrecargar la estructura, pero también resistente. Con nuestro estructurista, Manuel Ocaña, dimos con una solución muy precisa: una estructura tubular ligera, cuyos puntos de anclaje se repartían por toda la superficie. Al “atomizar” esos apoyos, evitábamos concentraciones de carga y ganábamos rigidez, como si cosiéramos la cubierta. El resultado fue una estructura sólida y ligera a la vez, que además sumaba un espacio nuevo para descansar o relajarse, sin comprometer la estabilidad de la vivienda.
La estructura me evocaba ingravidez, como una cometa flotando. Esa imagen lo inspiró todo: el nombre, los materiales, los colores… Así nació Casa Cometa. La idea de ingravidez guió toda la materialidad. Arriba, usamos azules cielo y cremas luminosos para reforzar la ligereza. Abajo, tonos más cálidos y pesados —azules oscuros, madera, terracotas— que anclaban visualmente el espacio. Entre ambos, materiales fríos y reflectantes como espejos, pavés o acero, que ampliaban la luz y acentuaban esa sensación de una casa que flota.
Structural Design: Bardo + Manuel Ocaña
Collaborators: Morgan Przeraski, Raquel Calvo
Photographer: Germán Sáiz
Styling: Uri Serra Pelayo
Art Consulting: Mía de Diego Gila
Sculptures: Iria Martínez
Furniture: Espacio Betty
This renovation project in Madrid was quite an unusual case. A poorly planned construction had left the roof on the verge of collapse. We proposed adding a second floor that would solve the structural issues while also creating a new livable space. The biggest challenge was designing a roof that could function as a large inhabitable truss. It had to be lightweight—so as not to overload the structure—but also strong. Together with our structural engineer, Manuel Ocaña, we...
- Year 2024
- Work finished in 2024
- Status Completed works
- Type Apartments / Interior design / Residential renovation
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