Where Vale. Living among the walls of an old bar

Donde Vale, a bar located in a residential area in Madrid, southwest of the city, is closed due to the pandemic. The prolonged pandemic leads the owners to decide that the establishment would not reopen, marking the beginning of a new phase in life, that of retirement: the old workspace is transformed into a living space.

Commercial spaces that adapt to everyday living

The 50 square meters of Donde Vale represent a challenge for Alvaro Catalan, an author of architectural projects: the desire to create an efficient living space in a limited number of square meters. The use of flexible partitions, such as curtains and panels, makes it possible to maximize the functionality and adaptability of the apartment, without sacrificing the different levels of privacy and the creation of personalized spaces of different sizes.

Efficiency and savings in every detail

The project makes extensive use of raw construction materials, such as sheets of galvanized steel, expanded metal, polycarbonate, and acrylic, which are widely employed in every part of the apartment. The use of these materials, along with flexible partitions that do not in any way alter the load-bearing structure and original walls, allows for a significant reduction in both construction times and overall costs.

Expanded metal sheets and versatile lighting

Although the floor space dimensions are limited, the significant height of the space offers the opportunity to install a system of expanded metal sheets for the ceiling: suspended at different heights, these sheets conceal lights that project light towards the ceiling, which is itself covered with an insulating layer with a reflective aluminum finish. Each area of the apartment is thus personalized through the intensity of white tones and the color of the lights, allowing for numerous combinations of ambient lighting.

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Alvaro Catalan