Coliving in Montecarmelo. Inside Out by Arenas Basabe Palacios Arquitectos
08/12/2021.
[MAD] Spain
metalocus, VALERIA OZUNA
metalocus, VALERIA OZUNA
Description of project by Arenas Basabe Palacios Arquitectos
The project deals with the extension of an existing house, built-in 2009 and prepared to be attached ten years later to a building that explores the 'coliving' model as an alternative to conventional housing, creating a habitat where a community of people with the same interests and affinities shares experiences, social and vital.
COLIVING INSIDE OUT goes beyond a community residence, including cultural activities, a youth association, administration, and a sports area. To give shape to this complex habitat of shared spaces, a stratified system of organization is proposed, in which each floor is linked to a program and a quality: the playground in the massive underground base; the cultural endowment on the open-plan first floor; the community residence on the compartmentalized second floor and the free roof as a play space.
The autonomy of the functions of the different floors contrasts with the dialogue with the existing building, linked by two elements, one interior (linear library) and the other exterior (metal lattice). The wooden library references the user on the inside with its twenty meters in length, structuring the first floor and stitching the old building with the new one.
On the outside, the metal lattice acts as a support to 'green' the building: integrated planters, irrigation channeling, and guide wires form an environmental device for the growth of natural species, reducing the temperature of the hottest facade and offering shade to the large first-floor window. Upstairs, he builds a continuous balcony for the bedrooms, aware of the current need to include natural outdoor spaces in the new habitat models.
The result puts a face to this new coliving in Madrid, makes it visible, and projects it to the outside since October 2021, when the works were completed. We are grateful for the involvement of all those who participated in the project, from its initial design, execution, and construction phase.
arenas basabe palacios arquitectos was founded in 2006. Since then they have won several architecture and urban prizes. They frequently give lectures and teach at different universities and institutions. They have presented their work and research in many exhibitions around Europe. Their projects have been published in many countries including Germany, Austria, the UK, France, Korea, India and Spain.
Enrique Arenas Laorga (1974), architect graduated from ETSAM (Madrid). He has developed projects in very different areas: rehabilitation, housing, institutional and events. He has held lectures at several academic institutions and is now a researcher at ETSAM. He teaches at IED Madrid.
Luis Basabe Montalvo (1975), architect graduated from TU Graz. Since 2003 he teaches design studio at ETSAM, where he is also working on his PhD. He was a guest researcher and faculty at various Universities: RWTH Aachen (Germany), Cambridge (UK) and CEPT Ahmedabad (India).
Luis Palacios Labrador (1983), architect graduated from ETSAM (Madrid, 2009) with and Master's in Advanced Innovation and Technology (ETSAM, 2011). Since 2010 he teaches design studio at ETSAM, where he is also developing his PhD. He worked in the Netherlands and, as a teacher, he has held lectures and workshops in India and UK.