New inhabitants, new lives, new program. Casa Witiza by Beatriz Alés Atelier
08/03/2021.
[MAD] Spain
metalocus, MARÍA FERNANDA MORA
metalocus, MARÍA FERNANDA MORA
Casa Witiza, a refurbishment authored by Beatriz Alés Atelier, is located in the Historic Tercio Terol neighborhood, in the Carabanchel neighborhood of Madrid.
The house was designed in the 40s, during the Franco dictatorship, for humble families of up to 8 members. The 70 m² useful had a very compartmentalized distribution. Nowadays another configuration is required, now there is a young couple who work at home most of the time, they like to invite friends, and they want interconnected rooms and to be able to live outside.
The house was designed in the 40s, during the Franco dictatorship, for humble families of up to 8 members. The 70 m² useful had a very compartmentalized distribution. Nowadays another configuration is required, now there is a young couple who work at home most of the time, they like to invite friends, and they want interconnected rooms and to be able to live outside.
Casa Witiza by Beatriz Alés Atelier. Photograph by José Hevia
Casa Witiza by Beatriz Alés Atelier. Photograph by José Hevia
Casa Witiza by Beatriz Alés Atelier. Photograph by José Hevia
Casa Witiza by Beatriz Alés Atelier. Photograph by José Hevia
Casa Witiza by Beatriz Alés Atelier. Photograph by José Hevia
Casa Witiza by Beatriz Alés Atelier. Photograph by José Hevia
Casa Witiza by Beatriz Alés Atelier. Photograph by José Hevia
Casa Witiza by Beatriz Alés Atelier. Photograph by José Hevia
Casa Witiza by Beatriz Alés Atelier. Photograph by José Hevia
Ground Floor. Casa Witiza by Beatriz Alés Atelier
First Floor. Casa Witiza by Beatriz Alés Atelier
Section. Casa Witiza by Beatriz Alés Atelier
The renovation designed by Beatriz Alés Atelier respects the original volume of the construction, since the neighborhood is protected as urban heritage. She transforms the living space in a continuous and fluid way towards the patio on the ground floor and from there to the first floor, via the stairs.
She organizes the plants in their two heights, through curves and a new color palette. She eliminated the partitions on the ground floor, to unify the living room space, it means the pillar around which this space revolves. With the minimum number of materials, the Casa Witiza renovation manages to reduce the visual noise so that the house becomes a backdrop where innumerable pieces can be exhibited.
She organizes the plants in their two heights, through curves and a new color palette. She eliminated the partitions on the ground floor, to unify the living room space, it means the pillar around which this space revolves. With the minimum number of materials, the Casa Witiza renovation manages to reduce the visual noise so that the house becomes a backdrop where innumerable pieces can be exhibited.
Description of project by Beatriz Alés Atelier
Casa Witiza
The historic Tercio y Terol quarter was designed by Rita Fernández Queimadelos and constructed during the 1940s in the Carabanchel area of Madrid. Originally a Francoist social housing project for families of limited means, it is now protected as part of Madrid’s urban heritage.
Casa Witiza is one of the 640 terraced houses which comprise the project. It boasts 70m2 of usable space. Having been designed with a family of eight in mind, in its original state, it was highly compartmentalised, and included a back garden intended for growing fruit and vegetables or keeping poultry. However, as the unit currently houses only one young couple, who also frequently work from home, the space has been reconfigured to meet their needs: they like to entertain, and wanted to create an open, welcoming atmosphere. As such, they wanted the rooms to be interconnected, and for the outside area to feel like part of the house.
While respecting the external dimensions of the unit as originally designed, and maintaining the original façades, the remodelling project set out to create a more continuous space within those dimensions, introducing a natural flow from the patio to the ground floor to the floor above.
The renovation of the space can be detected in a new geometry, which incorporates curved elements, and a new distinctive colour scheme for each floor. On the ground floor, the partitions have been removed to create a unified living area, and the steel column which forms the centrepiece of this area has been left exposed. On the first floor, a centrepiece is provided by the support structure for the three-sloped roof. Independent of this feature, there is a curved partition which separates the bedroom and studio.
The ‘visual noise’ of the space has been significantly reduced by getting rid of the skirting boards, using hidden doorframes, and limiting the number of different materials on view. The house now provides an unobtrusive canvas for all the artworks, collectors’ items, and other little artefacts which make the place a home.
More information
Architects
Beatriz Alés Atelier. Architect.- Beatriz Alés.
Design team
Landscape Architects.- Mingo Basarrate. Pool Intervention.- Carlos Hache.
Construction Site Management.- Espacio Papel Arquitectos.
Construction Site Management.- Espacio Papel Arquitectos.
Client
Private.
Area
70 sqm.
Data set
Type.- Refurbishment.
Dates
2017 - 2020.
Location
Carabanchel - Madrid, Spain.
Photography
Beatriz Alés Atelier
Beatriz Alés Atelier is an architecture and urban design studio which provides design-based solutions to today's complex spatial challenges — from conception through to construction. To make this possible, we work on a wide range of scales: from territorial and urban planning projects to the reconfiguration and design of individual housing units. Our work is characterized by a strong analytical approach and a dedication to continuous research. Our goal is to promote individual and collective development through interventions which always respect the particular context where they take place.
Beatriz Alés is the founder of this homonymous practice since 2015 in Berlin. She is a registered architect, who studied at the Universität der Künste (UDK Berlin) and at the Barcelona School of Architecture (ETSAB-UPC), from which she graduated with Honors. Parallel to the direction of this study, since 2017 she works as a professor and researcher with Professors Melanie Humann and Angela Mensing-de Jong at the Institute for Urbanism and Urban Studies of the Technische Universität Dresden.
Beatriz Alés is the founder of this homonymous practice since 2015 in Berlin. She is a registered architect, who studied at the Universität der Künste (UDK Berlin) and at the Barcelona School of Architecture (ETSAB-UPC), from which she graduated with Honors. Parallel to the direction of this study, since 2017 she works as a professor and researcher with Professors Melanie Humann and Angela Mensing-de Jong at the Institute for Urbanism and Urban Studies of the Technische Universität Dresden.
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