Explore a Wabi-Sabi inspired apartment renovation by OOAA Arquitectura in Madrid’s buzzing city centre.
The Japanese lifestyle philosophy Wabi-Sabi centres around finding beauty in imperfection, defining an aesthetic balance of authenticity and simplicity. Tapping into this ancient ideology is Madrid-based practice OOAA Arquitectura. Just as we admired in their Alcázar de Toledo renovation, their Pelayo project reveals a deep respect for natural materials and time-worn processes.
Pelayo is an interior refurbishment of an apartment, located in Barrio de Chueca, Madrid; an area known for its bustling atmosphere and nightlife. Where a sense of calm and intimacy pervades every space, OOAA Arquitectura have designed a peaceful juxtaposition with the home’s busy locale.
OOAA Arquitectura aimed to create an open plan layout for the two-bedroom, two bathroom apartment. The firm wanted to seamlessly integrate the apartment’s different uses, removing segmentation between zones such as the kitchen and dining. Like their Alcázar de Toledo project, the OOAA Arquitectura team eliminated corridors in the home, letting one space connect directly to another. They wanted to make this relation consistent, from the social area to the most private areas of the home.
Due to the small size of the apartment, OOAA Arquitectura selected concrete flooring, creating a sense of spaciousness and continuity. Micro-cement walls create a textural effect to offset the typically cool concrete, along with the custom birch wooden cabinetry and doors.
Adding to this textural affair, sisal rugs and linen soft furnishings articulate the home’s overall palette, that spans warm grey tones, hints of blue and mustard flecks. Strong black accents in the home’s fixtures and hardware punctuate this earthy scheme. To further emphasise this feeling of warmth, OOAA Arquitectura layered each minimalist space with vintage furniture such as the dining chairs by Charlotte Perriand.
Just as in their Alcázar de Toledo project, OOAA Arquitectura have sensitively balanced pared-down, yet characterful interiors. Adhering to the age-old Wabi-Sabi style has ensured a timeless apartment, that will only get better with age.
