The apartment is located in the historic center of Castellón, in a historicist building from 1947 built by the well-known poet Bernat Artola, who had his studio in this building. The construction was in origin so it required a comprehensive reform and rehabilitation. Although some original construction and carpentry elements are maintained, with the aim of rescuing the roots and history of the building.
The Vitale studio carries out the reform and refurbishment project that recovers the essence of the original construction and provides a new open look. The warm and authentic soul of the space is recovered to create a functional and inspiring home for the owners, a creative couple that provide several modernist and art deco pieces from the early 20th century.
The apartment is developed around three large nuclei: night area, day area and exterior. The plant is elongated rectangular and has a useful area of almost 80 m2 connected to a peculiar raised patio of another 25 m2. Originally the house was subdivided into 8 spaces, with a single bathroom and a small kitchen. The new functional needs completely redefine the distribution to use the access area (located in the central part of the house) as an integrated space that transits between the day area and the night area. The design provides multifunctional spaces, minimizes passageways and optimizes the available surface and natural light. A second bathroom is generated and the kitchen becomes a main area of almost 25 m2. The kitchen is directly connected to the outside area of the house (which also incorporates a storage room with a laundry room).
The entrance area becomes a container space with great capacity and functionality that also serves as a wardrobe. It was important to get as much storage space as possible and keep it hidden to give a sense of order.
The living room is visually subdivided by a custom-designed piece of furniture with a natural wicker rear grille that hides the television and reaches the ceiling with a metal frame. This piece of furniture gives continuity to a library area, which acts as a prelude to the courtesy bathroom with a sliding door with an exposed metal guide. All the interior doors, as well as the decorative window that separates the living room from the kitchen, are original elements that have been pickled and finished only with natural wax.
The guest bedroom is closed off with an angular curtain when privacy is required. It was important that it not be a room for sporadic use but that it become a space as open as possible that would be useful on a day-to-day basis. On the other hand, it was necessary to be able to adequately accommodate up to 4 adults in just 7.5 m2. A solution is given with a folding bed with an integrated desk and a second double bed is enabled in a large mezzanine that adds another 4 m2 to the initial surface. Access to the mezzanine is via a metal ladder attached to the wall.
The master bedroom incorporates a modernist chest of drawers and headboard that is framed by a backlit volume clad in traditional olive green ceramics.
The bathroom is partially integrated into the bedroom with a solemn sink made from a solid block of honed white Carrara marble inspired by traditional stone sinks. The washbasin rests on a suspended piece of furniture that again uses the natural wicker grid and is complemented by a mirrored container with dressing room wall lights. Everything has been custom designed for the project.
The most private part of the bathroom is separated by a sliding door, the shower has totally indirect lighting. It incorporates a generous suspended storage element with mirrored doors that doubles the spatial sensation.
Project Design: Vitale
Photografy: Vitale