«Vivienda EN4» was a 90’s abandoned office in a 19th century wood-structure building. We tried to return to the beginning with the intervention, to ancient surfaces taking off false mouldings, unnecessary ornament and plaster passe-partout. We just wanted to get back to basics: right angle, texture, neutral colors and light as primary tools to make past and present meet each other again. An exercise of essence.

By the restructuring of the space, we uncovered 40cms height above the ceilings, six different flooring layers, a false pilar and the original traces of 19th century partitions. We found them extremely useful for the new flat distribution. The “rooming” would be made through the placing of three free-standing boxes in the unit: mirror box for storage, paper box for guests bathroom, and stone box for owners’.

Therefore, the space in between is fluid, connecting the front south façade to the bedrooms around the patio, so ventilation and lightning are boosted. No need of radiators or air conditioning; just the air pressure differences and floor heating with aerothermal as efficent regulators.

The result is a versatile project, adaptable to every kind of personality as a house for rent would need. The structure remains untouched so we didn´t take risks with termites {we found remnants…}. Space stays simple, fresh and neutral as a canvas, a blank page for the new chapter of its history.