FFWD refurbishes an old carpenter's workshop in barcelona

when dealing with the refurbishment of an old carpenter’s workshop located in barcelona’s poble sec neighbourhood, spanish architectural studio FFWD’s main goal was to set up the space for habitation while preserving the existing structural components — creating loft Mdp. as a result, the final design offers singularity, warmth and charm by combining different styles and layers.  

main living room of FFWD loft MdP

prior to the intervention, the existing elements were in poor conditions. brick and stone walls, as well as the ceiling, were hidden under thick linings of gypsum and mortar. the wooden beams on the ceiling were greatly damaged at certain areas by termites, and it could have easily affected the whole stability of the building. however, the property had multiple light openings and the existence of an inner patio allowed FFWD to use translucent glass in the street windows to highlight natural lighting while still maintaining privacy. this creates visual connections between the main spaces of the houses and courtyard — which is the focal point.

patio facade

the existing valuable components that FFWD wanted to restore form the upper shell of the space: walls and roof. owing to that, the floor would be the newly constructed element in charge of the space configuration. in other words, it becomes like a magma that fills the whole base of the apartment — creating open areas that are organized with the levels and objects generated. in some of the main areas obtained, the loft is organized with the use of closed boxes which contain the more private spots of the house like bathrooms and dressing rooms. based on this approach, bedroom spaces are also formed and remain separated from the daytime areas of the house.

some of the fixed furniture is raised from the floor, like the living room sofa

the singularity of the layout arises from the owner’s wishes. indeed, he wanted a small independent apartment to welcome frequent visitors during the year. at the same time, the loft MdP will be used as his studio while no guests are in the house — hence the reason why the house is conceived with two separated spaces that can be used independently.

secondary living room

the house is conceived with two separated spaces that can be used independently: apartment/studio

kitchen is brick-made, and covered with a concrete lining like the floor

exposed bricks are complemented with concrete finishes and wooden furniture

the singularity of the house lies in the combination of materials and styles

main bathroom

master bedroom with a translucent glass window that allows for privacy and natural light to still penetrate

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lea zeitoun | designboom