CUAC ARQUITECTURA

Description

The advertising company «Babydog» decided to move to an old dwelling located on the fourth floor of a building in the middle of the historical centre of the city of Granada. This elongated house, with a short street façade and delimited by a narrow shared courtyard and a tiny ventilation space, appeared to be absolutely compartmentalised. Seven small rooms were arranged along a long corridor that ran through the residence next to the patio. Only the spaces located on the façade could be considered habitable … In such a situation, a complete restructuring of the building was needed to meet the needs of an office programme (broad common spaces for group work, adequate lighting and ventilation, visibility between managers and staff, etc.). Looking first behind the walls, we discovered that the elements analysed were part of a complex structure of load-bearing members. Scratching to recover the original texture of the wall with all the wounds suffered over time (wiring, wood pieces from old carpentry and connecting elements), we made cuts and voids that allowed the wall to continue working as a structural element but also ensured the desired continuity and communication between spaces. The result was a succession of structural arches that connect and disconnect at the same time, allowing for continuity of use and for light, air and views. From residence to office just by cutting open some walls.