Apartments in Madrid are overall congested and small. Making a small place look spacious and significant is the one unusual thing of Husos Arquitectos, or more commonly called Husos Architects. It is a Spanish architectural studio which has marvelously built a 46 squares meter apartment with plywood lining for a doctor who lives with his pet bulldog.
Elevated temperatures and suffocated places are normal in Madrid. The location of this apartment is within the Acacias neighborhood, and it is known for the modern architecture and building on flats of traditional corrala blocks. These flats are connected to external corridors and share an internal courtyard.
The apartment is made according to the specifications which were needed by the house owner as he is sensitive to heat and required an apartment which is weatherproof and thoroughly ventilated. The windows and the arrangement of other areas of the house are such to provide more space. In the center of the home, you will find an open living area, with a bathroom off to one side, a kitchen, and a dining area. A good amount of area is taken up by the bedroom to which a storeroom and a dressing room are attached. The sleeping capsule and shelving are also on this side of the apartment.
The unique thing about this apartment is its capsule-like sleeping area, which is built according to the need of the doctor who usually sleeps during days after his night shifts. So it is developed as the living room can act as an alternative to the bedroom. This place is essential in creating a recreational area other than just sleeping. It also gives the view of outside trees due to its periscope mirror technique. For watching movies, its door can be closed to create a projection screen.
The cooling effect comes from the in-house edible garden, which is on the balcony, and it gives a thermal cushion to the heat coming from outside. The shortage of water is a fundamental issue in the areas like these, so the programmers and agronomists helped in designing a recycling mechanism of greywater from the shower to these plants.
The walls are not plastered; instead, they are made up and lined by plywood, and it is very well known as breathable mortar. All in all, this place fulfills the requirements to have both; personal space and an entertaining one.
All Images: © Husos Architects
Source: Husos Architects (via: New Atlas)