Between a Museum and a Kitchen: Apartment Renovation in Madrid

The apartment, which can access the outdoors in two directions, is located directly opposite a famous art gallery in the centre of the Spanish capital. Over the course of the renovation project, the architects from Jesús Aparicio Estudio de Arquitectura have divided the space into serving and non-serving spaces and then organized the floor plan around this concept. Correspondingly, the apartment is separated into kitchen and living room. These two main areas are positioned on the outer sides of the building; each has its own entrance. While the kitchen faces the courtyard, the living room features a glass front and opens onto a balcony overlooking the museum across the way. The bedrooms and bathrooms are located in between, alongside a corridor that connects the cooking and living spaces.

The interior spaces of the apartment present themselves as bright and friendly. Jesús Aparicio Estudio de Arquitectura have renovated them with respect for the existing construction. The walls and ceilings have, to a great extent, been kept in sleek white, complemented with a light-coloured ashwood floor. The simple design is interrupted by an exposed concrete structure. This takes the form of joists, columns and supports that work together to zone the space. Indirect lighting accentuates the load-bearing elements even more, creating a compelling contrast. The living room features unobtrusive fittings as well as an office space delimited by glass. An elongated, grey cooking island forms the heart of the kitchen: with its silvery shelves and red brick wall, it adds touches of colour. Several skylights and a round spyhole in one wall allow many different angles of view to the outdoors.