- Interior
The Spanish design studio Mecanismo transformed a dark subdivided house in San Sebastian into a beautiful, light and open home where furniture and materials play an important role. With a great interest in and passion for materials, Mecanismo always creates innovative new concepts. The studio was founded in Madrid in 2012 by Marta Urtasun and Pedro Rica. Their love for craftsmanship, materials, design and architecture is clearly visible in all their beautiful projects, including the Mikeletes residence in San Sebastian.
The Mikeletes residence went from dark and compartmentalized to light and open.
When the designers started this project, the residence looked like the complete opposite of what they were aiming for. The house was dark and divided into different spaces when the goal was to create an open home with flowing spaces. That's exactly what Mecanismo took care of. They designed spaces that are visually separated but still blend into each other via certain elements and continuous materials. "We believe that space and light are fundamental elements to make up a home, so we tried to reflect this in this reform," says Urtasun. That's why Mecanismo divided the house into two main parts: the first a common space consisting of the kitchen, living area and dining area, and the second the private areas including bedrooms and bathrooms. 
The whole atmosphere of the house is determined by the materials used and the combination of them.
The whole atmosphere of the house is determined by the materials used and the combination of them. The main materials here are wood and stone and were chosen for their primitive and natural state. Because the same materials recur in all parts of the open space, the open and cohesive feeling is enhanced. 
Most of the furniture you will find in this house was designed and made by Mecanismo. "In the design of furniture, both functionality and care for the used materials and details are fundamental," says Rica. The studio therefore sees furniture not just as something decorative but really as an architectural element with a functional contribution to the spatiality of an interior. Something that's clearly seen in this beautiful airy Mikeletes residence. 
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