A Madrid Apartment Transformed by Color and Continuous Space
Gon Architects reimagines a compartmentalized home with a cinematic approach to color and storage.
1From compartmentalized to continuous
The 78 sqm apartment in Vicálvaro had a traditional layout with small rooms and corridors, designed for a nuclear family. After 20 years of use, the owners—a nurse and a teacher—found it mismatched with their cultural lifestyle. Gon Architects replaced this with a U-shaped plan around a central storage core, creating fluid connections between spaces. The redesign prioritizes visual continuity and flexibility over rigid room divisions.
2Color as spatial organizer
Five distinct zones are defined by monochromatic color schemes—walls, ceilings, and furniture share hues like lemon-yellow and marble-green. This references 18th-century European mansions where color manipulated spatial perception. Each zone corresponds to specific activities: entering, cooking, eating, resting, and dressing. The chromatic approach adds sensory richness while maintaining functional clarity in the open layout.
3The spine: a green bookcase
A floor-to-ceiling opal green bookcase spans the apartment's width, holding 1,500 books and objects. It serves as both storage and a biographical archive of the owners' literary interests, with special emphasis on Federico García Lorca's works. The bookcase incorporates translucent sliding doors that adjust privacy levels while preserving visual connections when open.
4Cinematic influences
A still from Pedro Almodóvar's film 'The Room Next Door' directly inspired the color palette, featuring Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore against green and red loungers. This cinematic reference extends to the zenithal perspective treatment throughout the apartment. Custom furniture like a yellow ceramic headboard and grading desk further personalize the space based on the owners' professions and hobbies.
5Multifunctional innovations
The living-dining area includes a fold-out bed for guests and a compact workspace. Integrated storage solutions minimize standalone furniture—only four key pieces (table, sofa, armchairs, bed) occupy main areas. Sliding doors and adaptable zones allow the same square footage to serve multiple purposes, from hosting gatherings to private reading sessions.
6Contextual sensitivity
Located on the sixth floor of a 2000s residential complex, the apartment's watchtower-like quality is enhanced by framed urban views. Former industrial surroundings with exposed brick architecture informed the project's material honesty. Shared amenities like a swimming pool contrast with the highly personalized interior redesign.
7Regulatory starting point
The original layout strictly followed Madrid's housing regulations for nuclear families—two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and segregated living spaces. The renovation challenges these standards by demonstrating how post-regulatory interventions can better align spaces with contemporary lifestyles centered on leisure and cultural engagement rather than traditional family structures.
8Architecture as lived experience
The project treats books, films, and daily rituals as integral to spatial design. Light changes and urban vistas become part of the interior narrative. By blending storage, circulation, and cultural references into a cohesive system, the apartment evolves from a static container to a dynamic register of its inhabitants' identities and the city's rhythms.