- Interior
The Spanish architecture studio OOAA Arquitectura has been creating the most beautiful minimalist interiors and buildings where simplicity, serenity and timelessness play the leading role for almost ten years. And always with the same dedication and passion.
In OOAA's projects we can always dream away and let ourselves be inspired, and that is certainly the case for the Salud apartment as well. A soft palette of colours and materials, interesting geometries and lines and different textures define the spaces here. Salud is located in the centre of Madrid and has a size of 170m2. The apartment is located in a classic building with long vertical win- dows. OOAA renovated the entire interior. They wanted to stay in line with the classic design language of the building and still give a modern twist to the decor. The lay- out was designed in such a way that the east and west facades are visually connected so that light, ventilation and the circulation of the house can cross. In order to open up the entire space of the house, the kitchen and dining area were placed in the middle of the layout. In this way they also get sufficient natural light.
‘To stop the time and to create calm and visual comfort spaces’
‘This project mainly focuses on the ceilings. We decided to create a ceiling project due to several constraints, such as different heights, main beams in the transitions, and so on. So, this allowed us to create a neat and calm feeling in the different spaces. Each room remains still and static, and the time stops,’ says Iker Ochotorena, founder of the studio. That was one of the most important things in this project and OOAA's goal in all their projects: ‘To stop the time and to create calm and visual comfort spaces, where the dynamism and diagonals are excluded.’ The choice of material and colour also had to be tuned to this goal, of course. Therefore, they worked with a monochrome atmosphere in bone colour. This creates the visual effect that the view and the spaces seem infinite. ‘This also generates a unique built object in terms of architecture and decoration, where the air, the emptiness, the light and the shadows define the spaces.’ The ceiling with rounded edges was finished with mixed lime and the walls with textiles, creating a play of textures. Furthermore, wooden finishes and travertine (kitchen) tops enrich the spaces with quality, craftsmanship and warmth. The curves of the ceiling are also reflected in the bathroom and furniture and contrast nicely with the otherwise clean and straight lines in the house. According to Ochotorena, these curves serve as a distraction from the existing architecture. The neutral and serene aesthetics of Salud seems to contrast with the busy and colourful city of Madrid, but the house still remains connected to the bustling centre thanks to no less than eight balconies. The Salud interior is defined by contrasting lines and textures, a soft, sober palette of colours and materials and a Modernist touch, making it the perfect representation of OOAA's beautiful design language.
Photography by Rafael Diéguez
Styling and focus by Iker Ochotorena