Home Tour: Barbara House by Barbara Appolloni Architects

The 115 sqm apartment is set in Barcelona's Gothic quarter, near the Old Wall. It has an elongated shape, with a linear sequence of six balconies. Originally, it was subdivided into several rooms, joined by a long corridor which looked unto an interior courtyard.

The project aimed at creating a space which served as a private apartment as well as studio, and which also highlighted the plant's original length.

The initial distribution has been entirely modified: the traffic flow has been reversed from the patio side to the street side and the spaces have been opened up to maximize the generous heights and natural light.

The flat thus revolves around a large central room, with the dining room, kitchen and work space creating an uninterrupted and fluid whole. The bedrooms are located at the opposite ends of the house. The bathroom and dressing room are next to the master bedroom.

The original elements which have been preserved are the woodwork, which has been stripped, and the large stained glass window, a piece of the beginning of the 20th century, which dominates the dining room. One of the sensations which best defines the house's space is the contrast between, on one hand, the simple surfaces and the generous volumes of the interior, and on the other, the ornamental details and narrow streets of the Gothic city outside.

source: Barbara Appolloni

Home Tour: Christian House - By Barbara Appolloni architects

This 22 sqm space, which originally stored the water tanks of a narrow building in the center of Barcelona, has been transformed into a unique and functional attic.

The perimeter walls have been strengthened to support a new wrought structure, which allowed to convert the roof into a terrace with a privileged view over the city. A new staircase connects the cota intermedia of the terrace with IPE wood flooring, also used in the construction of a niche for the washing machine and to line the tub and the large sofa bed.

The interior is a versatile and functional space in which the walls and furniture allow for many different layouts and uses. The only visible elements are the shower, a rectangular laminated glass and the sink.

Most walls are covered with VIROC panels -a mixture of wood particles and Portland cement - supported by a hidden wooden structure. Some are also gateways to niche storage spaces or can be used as of furniture, i.e. the tables.

The false ceiling, the wall / cabinet on the right and the sofa bed are in pine plywood.

The wall /furniture creates a great variety of storage spaces, which range from the wardrobe, to the kitchen and the bathroom, of which the doors open through different movements.

The cabinet that contains the bed is divided into three removable parts, which are housed under a new slab of the balcony built above the original one and which also serve as a bench / sofa, storage space and staircase to access the exterior.

source: Barbara Appolloni