Spanish firm MH.AP Studio has recently turned an abandoned 100 square-meters storage space in a basement of a building from the ’50s in Barcelona into a loft and studio. The project is articled around two patios: a bigger one with loads of light, and a smaller that ensures good crossed natural ventilation.
The living area is parallel to the big patio, 13’5x4m originally built with Catalan vaults ceiling to be maintained. A small shed located in the big patio used to cover 1/2 of the patio, but to gain more natural light, it’s reduced to 1/4th of the area. This is where Marcel’s room is located, looking at the outdoor shower and the planters. Industrial Oak flooring was chosen for its aesthetic coherence with the existing form.
Next to the entrance, the bathroom and the studio are organized around the secondary patio. Darkness is embraced by compressing and lowering the ceiling, then adding Farrow & Balls Red Earth to enhance the transition between spaces.
Both courtyards are completely rebuilt to ensure a good drainage. For the main patio, white hexagonal mosaic from an old ceramic factory was used to increase light reflexion. These tiny mosaics required a flexible netting to make bigger tiles, a process done in the studio.
