A 5x5 meters house near Barcelona

Spanish studio Twobo Arquitectura renovates a small abandoned house, understanding the design strategy from the collapse of a floor slab.

The architects of Twobo studio specialise in using materials in all their conditions, exploring the raw aesthetics of building materials or restoring value to existing ones in renovation projects. In this case they did not want to erase the history of abandonment of a small house in the centre of Arenys de Mar, on the coast north of Barcelona. Their project focuses on a multi-level space but with a floor plan of only 5*5 metres, completely enclosed on three sides and facing a very narrow street, only 3 metres wide.

It is the very state of disrepair of the floors that suggested a design solution to the architects. From the collapse of part of the roof, the studio saw the possibility of letting light flood down to the ground floor, slightly reducing the floor area but improving the usability of all the spaces. The existing wooden beams (which are not in perfect condition) are supplemented by a metal structure which, painted completely white, suggests lightness and modernity.

Twobo Arquitectura, House 5x5, Arenys de Mar, Spain, 2021
Twobo Arquitectura, House 5x5, Arenys de Mar, Spain, 2021

Another design act in response to the existing condition is to transform the entrance door into a space of mediation between public and private, by moving the threshold back a few dozen centimetres. The other elements (kitchen, bathroom, wardrobes, etc.) are arranged in harmony with the backbone of the project. With this project Twobo Arquitectura demonstrates the value of not hiding the scars and working with successive layers of materials. In this way, in addition to making the spaces functional, they were able to tell a story of life lived.

Project:
House 5x5
Architect:
Twobo Arquitectura
Team:
Ourania Chamilaki, Xavi Poch, Anna Sala, Raquel Vicente, Víctor Díaz-Asensio, Claudia Canalda
Structural engineering:
Jordi Granada
Area:
65 sqm
Location:
Arenys de Mar, Spain
Completion:
2021

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