he property is located on Calle Alberto Alcocer, a wide tree-lined avenue in the ChamarOn district of Madrid. The original layout resembled that of an office, with excessive compartmentalizaTon resulTng in loss of light and space. A dark and broken corridor stretched along the central axis of the house. The main objecTve of the integral reform was to unify spaces in a large social area, using visual dividing elements such as recesses or cut-outs in the floors to maximize the entry of light. The challenge was to design a layout with almost no corridors. Another challenge was to create a sense of height in the exisTng ceilings. We had old fixtures and fiYngs that encroached on the usable space of this home and were integrated into the custom-made furniture in the different rooms. A nucleus of wet areas was established in the centre of the house and a succession of rooms using natural stone embrasures, which bring elegance and solidity to the construcTon.
A[er crossing the entrance door, a global vision of the materials that will unify the essence of the project can be seen throughout the house: natural oak wood and Olivillo traverTne stone. The wood, treated with water-based varnish, is used in the made-to-measure joinery and in the floor in a lighter tone, laid with a loose joint. The Olivillo traverTne stone is used in the mouths. The layout consists of two areas: the main hallway for the common areas and the second hallway giving access to the three bedrooms and their bathrooms, which are more private areas. In the first distributor, the elegance of the geometric shapes takes precedence, highlighTng the height of the ceiling with a curved hatch as a union between walls which, apart from so[ening this encounter, guides the indirect lighTng towards the ceiling through recessed wall washers. An iniTal dialogue is established between the recesses and the importance of the hierarchy of heights.
The recesses are treated with the intenTon of being able to separate rooms or keep them unified. Some of these architectural resources house large sliding doors which, when open, are concealed in them and, when slid open, act as enclosing panels, so that various routes through the house can be established. The opening between the living-dining room is clad only on the sides, leaving the ceiling conTnuous, to create a sense of connecTon between these spaces. In the rest of the openings, the enTre edge is clad to mark the delimitaTon of the rooms. A panelled wall, with a set of doors, creates the entrance to the toilet, which is concealed and, when uncovered, contrasts with the rest of the home. With an elegant and marked ash tone, the verTcal walls are wallpapered, emphasized by the use of Dark Emperor stone, in a sculptural piece as a washbasin. The kitchen, located in the interior area of the home, has its own circulaTon and three large windows bathe the island in light, a piece that stands out for the aged traverTne that runs conTnuously around it.
A floor-to-ceiling storage space is built into the wall. This element acts as a parTTon between the kitchen and the passageway to the laundry area and installaTons room. The house has underfloor heaTng, using aerothermal energy as a source of energy, renewable and much more energy efficient. The main rooms of the house, such as the living room and dining room, are located on the south façade, with views of the street through a conTnuous window that provides them with natural light and spaciousness. Our intenTon has always been to unify these social areas by accompanying them with a charming terrace. The living room was provided with two storage elements, on the one hand, we have a low module, in the same silk white tone as the walls, so that it is visually integrated. This module hides the air condiToning installaTons of the house and, on the other hand, provides a large amount of storage for its inhabitants. Opposite the windows, another module, in this case from floor to ceiling, in natural oak wood, conceals the television and a bar unit with a mirrored background, glass shelves and retractable doors.
From the living room, we conTnue to the hallway of the most reserved area of the property. Here we find floor-to-ceiling oak woodwork that leads to each of the three bedrooms. The master bedroom is also south facing and has a large window overlooking the street. For the wall opposite the bed, an auxiliary piece of furniture has been designed to cover this area of the room. To get to the bedroom, we cross through a large dressing room with floor-to-ceiling oak doors, upholstered in linen. Both bathrooms have Alba limestone washbasins and microcement cladding with clay. In the main bathroom, a volcanic rock tone was used for the cladding of the shower cubicle with integrated bathtub. In the other bathroom, a more neutral sand tone was chosen. In both of them, large mirrors have been fi`ed to reflect the light, so characterisTc of this home, and to give a feeling of greater spaciousness.
The interior design stands out for the use of natural materials, characterisTc in all our projects. Stones such as TraverTne, Alba limestone or Dark Emperor marble, treated with details of architectural value, will give the home an elegant, minimalist and Tmeless character. To this neutral canvas, with a clear and simple architectural language, is added a selecTon of furniture that provides a modern and avant-garde character, with pieces of great value in the history of design and others by emerging arTsts, more contemporary, which have been carefully chosen to enhance the uniqueness of each room. These pieces, with a harmonious chromaTc connecTon, ranging from shades of brown to green, including pink or orange flecks. Each room has the right pieces to meet the needs of each space, while also fulfilling its decoraTve mission. The aim is always to achieve this balance between uTlity and design, which will guide the visual journey through the home. All the pieces are special, and each one has its own role to play, without compeTng with the others.
