Madrid house hides in the garden

“Today’s architecture forgot the importance of privacy and fell into exhibitionism. Great windows in thin walls that look nowhere, and show everything.” The mystery has been replaced by the evidence," explain delaVegaCanolasso. With the project La Madriguera, which literally means “the burrow”, the Spanish architects investigate the topic of domestic intimacy and create a house in Madrid that hides within the garden with a mirrored facade.

The studio has renovated an old wooden hut, previously used as a painting workshop, to which is added a new small chameleonic volume. Instead of opening up completely to the outdoor space with large windows, the house allows a glimpse of its interior spaces only through a small porthole. The reflective facade clad the more private rooms of the small residence: bathroom and bedroom. The living area – kitchen, dining room, lounge and studio – is located in the existing structure, which now has a large central skylight to flood all rooms with natural light.

delaVegaCanolasso arranges the custom-designed furniture on the perimeter of the house, so as to free up as much space as possible and allow free circulation. Cheap and easy to assemble materials were chosen for the construction: a prefabricated steel structure, recycled OSB panels, cork and recycled cotton for insulation. The spacious and bright interiors feature pine wood panelling, furniture and details, which gives warmth and comfort to the house.