Known for its unique style and vision, Arquitectura-G takes the courage to renovate an old apartment in an extraordinary way. The result is playful and at the same time - stylish.
Located in Barcelona's Ensanche district, the long and thin 149-square-metre flat extends through from the street to an interior courtyard on the other side of the building. Tasked with opening up the deep interiors to plenty of natural light, Arquitectura-G removed a long corridor that distributed spaces, as well a series of dividing walls. To break up the open-plan interiors, the studio decided to change levels and flooring denote different spaces, while the white-painted walls, warm-coloured carpeting and vaulted ceiling beams create continuity between areas.
An open-plan lounge and dining area occupy one end of the flat, where two large windows face onto the courtyard. The floor is covered in sisal – a woven textile made from stiff plant fibres that gives it a robust and textural dimension. But the lounge is set on a lower level, featuring a large corner sofa covered in cushions that match the colour of the carpet. A second, smaller corner sofa is placed opposite, jutting into the raised dining room platform.
A doorway with a zigzagging upper corner leads through from the living area to the rest of the apartment. The jagged profile matches the staggered junction between the carpet and grey tiles. In the entrance hall beyond, a raised carpeted platform runs along one side of a fireplace, which the architects moved to make it a more central feature of the apartment. The kitchen occupies the central core of the flat and is lit by two windows that provide views onto another internal courtyard. Carpet returns here and continues to the rear of the apartment, which looks onto Girona Street. Currently occupied by a master bedroom with a large en-suite bathroom, the space could later be divided into four individual rooms.
