When a young couple in Madrid decided they wanted to create more space in their tiny apartment, they decided to build a new bedroom floor and give the existing downstairs space over to social and living areas. They commissioned cumuloLimbo studio to create the new level in a concealed, unused double-height space, which was the result of the ground floor apartment being built on a steep site. With a budget of just €35,000 (about $39,000), the fit-out put an emphasis on affordable and recycled materials, as well as using necessary structural elements to great graphic effect.

Instead of building an entire upper floor, which would have doubled the area of the apartment, Natalia Matesanz Ventura, director of cumuloLimbo studio, convinced the clients to add a mezzanine floor on a lightweight steel structure in the center of the apartment. This mezzanine doubled the amount of more floor space and it divided the ground floor into two double-height living areas, creating an expansive feeling in the small apartment.

The bedroom mezzanine is located over the central bathroom—the only enclosed room in the home—with a double-height living space on either side. The larger space on the east side opens out to the backyard and is a more public and social area, while the smaller studio space to the west is used for working from home.

ecycled plywood lids were used as cladding in the downstairs studio—the wall of which continues into the bedroom—and for the bedroom floor. " layout="wide" credit="Photo by Javier de Paz García" photoUserId="6133579194287656960"/>e bathroom is the only fully enclosed room in the apartment, and it sits below the new mezzanine level. Geometric tiles have been used to create a playful backsplash against the raw brick wall behind the sink." layout="" credit="Photo by Javier de Paz García" photoUserId="6133579194287656960"/>

The studio has been acoustically isolated, with recycled plywood concealing the acoustic insulation. Matesanz Ventura had come across these plywood lids during a meeting with the client, who was receiving old electronic equipment for work in the large boxes and throwing them away. Struck by their raw, industrial beauty, she suggested keeping them for use as cladding.

The spaces were adapted to suit the modular nature of the plywood cladding. The lids used to clad the walls of the studio are 80x120cm, while those used for the flooring of the mezzanine level are 60x80cm." layout="wide" credit="Photo by Javier de Paz García" photoUserId=""/>

“The effect of the recycled plywood cladding is so gorgeous,” says Matesanz Ventura. “We kept the stamps on them, so no two are the same. When all this diversity is put together, it suddenly has a homogenous effect that nevertheless preserves the particularities.”

Natural light floods the studio through a large window and is reflected into the mezzanine level via the mirrored "vault."" layout="" credit="Photo by Javier de Paz García" photoUserId="6133579194287656960"/>

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In contrast, the larger living space—which also includes the open-plan kitchen—features white walls that reflect natural light from the east-oriented patio. “The use of new materials and unnecessary finishes was minimized,” says Matesanz Ventura. “The ceiling has been left exposed and the concrete structure is unveiled. The use of low-cost and recycled materials is one of the key ideas of this project with a minimal budget.”

The kitchen unit is a bespoke design that uses perforated metal elements that give an appearance of transparency and lightness. The client was so impressed with the result that cumuloLimbo studio used the material for other pieces of bespoke furniture for the project, including a small moveable set of stairs that is used to access the main stair to the mezzanine level.

As in many ground-floor apartments, one of the major challenges was getting enough natural light into the interior. In order to maximize light into the new mezzanine level, a mirror-faced timber “vault” was built into the west side of the apartment, above the studio. “We designed and programmed it with Grasshopper in order to orient each one of the slats of the vault towards the window with a specific angle that allows a complete reflection of natural light,” says Matesanz Ventura. “And, it worked! Natural light is reflected and multiplied with a great visual effect.”

“We added fewer square meters but still allowed natural light to get into the new floor,” says Matesanz Ventura. “Once the project was finished the clients thanked us so much for insisting on this—and we felt so good about it because the light was amazingly amplified in the house thanks to this decision.”

“Maintaining a low-cost budget was one of the main goals and we wanted to produce an interesting space while complying with the needs of our client,” says Matesanz Ventura. “The renovation was done for less than €330 per square meter—which even in Madrid is a very tiny budget. Seeing the results, we feel proud of our achievement. The expectations of the clients were surpassed. It is wonderful when you get to see the clients really enjoying the space.”

This Madrid Home Morphs From Studio to Two-Bedroom Apartment With the Push of a Finger

Project Credits:

Architect of Record: cumuloLimbo studio

Builder: Peña&Ledesma Obras

Structural Engineer: cumuloLimbo studio

Lighting Design: cumuloLimbo studio

Interior Design: cumuloLimbo studio

Metalwork: Cerrajería Luis Hernández

Carpentry: Carpintería Ruaza C.B.