“Allaround Lab”architecture studio based in Barcelona and Madrid, undertook the transformation of a former warehouse to a multi-functional and habitable space. Located in Poble Nou neighbourhood of Barcelona, the 120m2 open-plan space, was equipped with only the “the minimum means to inhabit a place”, which according to the architects are: storage, humid spaces and circulations. Only the necessary partitions to separate the different functions were placed, and continuous materials and light colours were used in order to obtain a bright, neutral and warm interior. 

Ávila is a project that reinterprets what was originally an open-plan warehouse located in the Poble Nou neighbourhood of Barcelona to turn it into a 120m2 multi-functional and habitable space.

The proposal aims to carry out this transformation using what we call “the minimum means to inhabit a place”, namely, storage, humid spaces and circulations, considering the entire free volume and not just its surface.

From the arrangement of different construction pieces that articulate the different environments, and with the minimum necessary partitions, we work and project the void as the main element of the proposal.

Likewise, the distributor on the upper floor is proposed as a diagonal, square-shaped void that, despite the simplicity of the whole, allows cross visuals between all the rooms, including the one on the rear façade from the staircase.

With the use of continuous materials and light colours, the aim is to obtain a bright, neutral and warm place at the same time, making use of the furniture and integrating it from the beginning of the project. The proposal values the space thanks to its simplicity, the different textures of the materials and the light, leaving aside any excess or ornament and focusing on satisfying the needs of its inhabitants.

Credits & Details
Project: Ávila. Proyectar el vacío.
Architects: Noelia de la Red, Jordi Ribas
Studio: www.allaroundlab.com
Location: Calle Ávila, Barcelona
Date: 2022
Surface: 120 m2
Photography: José Hevia
Colaborators: Mònica Piqué