Sequential Living
Across the crowded cities of Europe it is common to find long skinny houses and apartments. This helps to squeeze the maximum number of dwellings onto a street, but often results in suboptimal interior layout with dim, underused rooms leading off soul-less corridors and precious sunlight struggling to penetrate the depths of the interior through a narrow facade. This 124 square metre apartment in Madrid, designed by Gon Architecture and Ana Torres for a young bachelor, shows how such a space can be transformed into a perfect abode for modern life.
The architects opened up the front half of the apartment by removing the internal walls whilst leaving the supporting columns intact, creating kitchen, dining, study and living spaces that flow gracefully into each other. There is also a secondary living area with a small shower room which can be closed off with sliding partition walls to create a bijou guest room. The rear half of the apartment houses the bedroom suite, complete with a spacious bathroom and a generously proportioned dressing room.
The clever use of space is enhanced by thoughtful design features such as the extensive use of pocket doors, which amplifies the sense of space. Vibrant splashes of colour are applied to dramatic effect: a slice of blue adds depth to the kitchen, a yellow feature wall brightens up the bathroom and a wedge of watermelon red highlights the plant-filled lounging area in the bedroom. The red beams in the living area help to divide the space subtly into work, play and relax areas, without interrupting the overall flow.
This is a thoughtfully designed multifunctional space where you can move seamlessly from dining to working to entertaining and resting; a fitting template for contemporary urban living.
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Product Inspiration
Furniture in simple, sculptural shapes with a dash of colour would look great in this sunny apartment. Try the Klara chair from Moroso, the Strong table from Desalto and the Grasso armchair from BD Barcelona Design.
Go for stylish, understated lighting such as the Guijarro wall light from LZF, the Hirst pendant light from Dare and the JWDA floor lamp from Menu.
Look for simple, sculptural accessories such as the Saturno plant holder from Formae, the Blockwork desk organiser from Lyon Beton and the Imago mirror from Mater.
