A Prefab Office Adds Rugged Good Looks to a Backyard in Madrid for $68K

It was mere coincidence that Madrid-based architects Delavegacanolasso would roll out prefab designs well-suited for backyards during a pandemic. Simply known as tini, the new business by firm cofounders Ignacio de la Vega and Pilar Cano-Lasso offers customizable prefabs based on two modular designs: an office scheme, and a tiny home. Recently, de la Vega and Cano-Lasso were tasked with creating a custom design for a small business that had hired a few new employees and needed to expand from their home office to the backyard.

The goal was to blend the design into the client’s lush garden and surrounding oak trees. In order to make the most of the verdant landscape, the firm upgraded their standard office model with floor-to-ceiling windows and a Cor-Ten steel frame. The structure was prefabricated offsite and delivered fully furnished and ready for use in just 60 days. 

Inside the the unit, the ceiling, walls, wardrobe, and kitchen are made from OSB poplar wood, while the bathroom countertop and the bespoke office desks are constructed from pine sourced from the north of Spain. All of the built-in furniture and desks were designed by the architects, and custom-made office chairs are from Dr. Cato, a Spanish furniture designer and friend of the firm. Abstract artwork by Delavegacanolasso, comprised of machine-stitched vintage fabrics, hangs on the wall. 

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Even though this particular project likely would have been built with or without a pandemic, de la Vega acknowledges that there’s an uptick in the number of people looking for this type of home-office solution. "We think that the tini office gives you both high-quality design and the much-needed separation between work and home," he says.

The base price for tini’s 215-square-foot structure is $33,800, while the larger, 366-square-foot unit starts at $48,000. However, this tini model came in at $68,000, including transport, due to the premium materials used. "This one is more expensive than usual as the client requested a design with more glass and a Cor-Ten steel frame," explains de la Vega. The result is a working environment featuring warm interiors that maximize every possible corner, stunning views, and a wonderful contrast between the Cor-Ten steel and surrounding greenery of the yard. 

In the near future, de la Vega says that the firm will provide optional metal mesh facades for the structures "so they can be covered with vegetation to maximize the relationship with the setting—even change colors with the seasons." Soon, he expects Delavegacanolasso to have its very own tiny office space. "We have a small office, but we are planning to build a tini office for ourselves in a few years."

More from Delavegacanolasso:

Budget Breakdown: An Art Studio Is Transformed Into a Lush Garden Home for $24K

Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Delavegacanolasso / @delavegacanolasso

Builder/General Contractor: tini / tinyhome.es