best architects 17

Before our intervention, in this apartment overlapping stages could be appreciated. Several uses through time accumulated layer over layer. At a first glance one could feel a strange and blurred atmosphere. But beyond confusion we could appreciate the power of its original defining features: a sequence of linked spaces, separated by a powerful rhythm of bearing walls; the distinction of space hierarchy through different mosaic floors; big wood windows…

We believe that a refurbishment work must make the most of the existing. As it happens in the urban fabric, which is a conglomerate of different historical times. Times that contaminate each other in a complex and ambiguous whole than touches us.
Although in this case the pre-existence was not an exceptional historical or heritage value, it was perfectly re-usable and attractive. It has led us to a strategy of reuse and transformation, with fuzzy boundaries: Over this transformed pre-existence we superimposed new functional spaces framed into wooden boxes.




Reuse and transformation:
Stripped of walls and ceilings of existing items and accessories occurring in different operations reaching reform essential elements that define the space
Cleaning the walls not "hygienic" and strategic, keeping traces, marks, layers of paint ...
Building (structural reinforcements, few cracks, confinement) and replace "critical."
Reading on the floor of the original distribution in smaller rooms.
Homogenization color and optimization of natural light.

Contribution:
Self-enclosed modules (boxes) containing services and storage.
Substructure apparent wood studs to the outside (such as packaging, it is important to the inside).
The facilities are strategically concentrated in the interstices between "boxes" and placeholder to avoid races in the pre-existence.
Finished in white boxes with veladura combining up chromatically to the placeholder.