Viruta Lab designs a poetic apartment in Madrid, bathed in nostalgia and splendour

The Viruta Lab studio has carried out a refurbishment with a poetic air in this small 55.80 m2 flat in Madrid’s Salesas area inspired in the verses of José Bergamín. In the poem ‘Anocheció Madrid’, the 20th-century Madrid author pays tribute to the more nocturnal side of the capital, an influence that David Puerta and María Daroz, co-founders of Viruta Lab, have captured to capture it in every corner of this flat built in the 1980s.

“Last night Madrid seemed
covered with the most transparent glass
that was suddenly dawning
as brightly as in the daytime
Live lights its streets distributed
populating the city, more than people,
of flashes of resplendent light
that enraptured the air with joy.
The sky watched burning from its abyss,
like a diamond in black velvet
Madrid, soul on fire to its mirage:
nocturnal city in urn of its ice,
Narcissus masked from itself,
andEcho, mute with astonishment, the very sky“
José Bergamín

Originally, this small space retained the characteristic gloom of the fragmented, partitioned dwellings of the time. Its natural wood parquet floors resonated with the nostalgic creak of the past. Viruta Lab has stripped away the opaque partitions, allowing natural light to bathe the interior. In addition, the studio has created a transparent glass filter, reminiscent of the old private clubs of the 1950s, which not only divides the rest area but also expands the visuals and improves the overall luminosity. Bergamín’s verses are breathed in the ice urn and the black velvet diamond, elements described by the author in his poem.

Geometry and materiality

The house has a rectangular floor plan that Viruta Lab simplifies, going from six closed areas to three, with the bathroom being the only completely independent area. The liberation of these opaque partitions makes it possible to open up the whole house to widen the diagonal views of the space, increasing the perception of the floor plan dimensions.

Thanks to this solution, natural light bathes all the corners of the space that were previously in darkness and, therefore, the entry of natural light into the home is boosted. It is in this element where the more transparent glass filter designed by Viruta Lab plays a key role. This filter has been materialised in the form of a glass window with a metal frame profile and pattern that is presented as the main architectural element. This custom-designed piece allows the more intimate rest area to be screened without limiting the visuals or the luminosity of the space. In turn, the built-in storage and fixed panelling generate a visual partition that envelops the rooms while running around the entire perimeter of the home. This concept is presented through a structure called the “ice urn”, selected because of the cashmere tone of the background of the panels. These boards have been framed with an oak border, reaching the height marked by the original window openings of the building. This cut line not only contributes to levelling out the height differences in the ceilings, but also integrates the air conditioning system of the house, taking advantage of the maximum heights of the free areas by means of a soffit effect.

Only two openings have been made in this storage perimeter, strategically located in the living room and bedroom area, presenting a visual counterpoint in planimetry. These openings have been materialised as points that contrast with the hues of the interior design, evoking the image of “a diamond in black velvet”, inspired in a heavy grey herringbone fabric reminiscent of the melancholic rainy days of the most nostalgic Madrid.

In addition, the irregular geometry in the planes of the exterior joinery serves the function of generating two benches that seek to orthogonalise the space. These elements not only contribute to the creation of additional storage, but also provide rest areas equipped with mattresses, ideal for disconnecting and sitting down to observe the streets of the Salesas district.

From the entrance to the home, the programme layout presents the kitchen on two sides. The work area is coherently integrated into the aesthetic language of the entire home. In it, a bench with an additional depth of 80 has been introduced, which dignifies its presence and becomes another piece of furniture in the living room with built-in shelving. This room provides a third material that completes the minimalist palette of materiality: a porcelain tile with a gold marble effect, also present in the bathroom.

As for the flooring, Viruta Lab has decided to preserve the original floor. To do this, they have restored the missing pieces due to the new layout and have revised it to update its language. In addition, they have treated the yellowish tone of the slats to obtain a more neutral, matt and natural-looking colour in tune with the new interior design of the house.

Design icons, geometric textures and reduced-size furniture María Daroz and David Puerta have personally selected most of the pieces of furniture that dress the home. The creative team has sought to create a masculine language through heavy lines that contrast with the architectural envelope.

The pre-existing wooden floor is enhanced by the installation of grey wool herringbone rugs, on which various design icons from the 1950s and 1970s rest. These pieces, with a very marked character, are the main protagonists of the space. In them, the camel colour stands out, which acts as a counterpoint to the cold chrome and sanded steels. In addition, the superimposition of geometric textures, a distinctive feature of the aesthetics of Viruta Lab and the fabrics of the north, creates the perfect pairing.

Likewise, given the dimensions of the space, the studio has opted for furniture of a reduced size, but with character and versatility. In this way, it can be used in the different rooms of the home depending on the required use.

Natural, warm and functional lighting

The total openness of the spaces and the elimination of opaque zoning have been two key elements in the lighting project of the house. Thus, natural light flows in from both sides of the flat, creating a bright, cross-ventilated environment.

The entrance, defined by two faceted windows that evoke the appearance of a contemporary bay window, distributes light evenly between the day and night areas. The transition between these zones is fluid thanks to the presence of a glass wall that visually separates the spaces without obstructing the flow of light. In contrast, the dressing room adjacent to the night area has another strategic opening that contributes to filling the space with natural light.

Due to the age of the building and the objective of recovering its splendour and stately value, Viruta Lab has enhanced the artificial lighting project to generate atmospheres and highlight the design icons. In the dining room area, there is a single black lacquered steel tube pendant lamp, which has served as a common thread to personalise the other wall sconces in the house. These wall lights are always arranged in pairs, maintaining a uniform visual language throughout the project. In addition, they emit a warm light thanks to the opal glass tube luminaire with soft diffusion, thus contributing to a cosy and functional atmosphere throughout the home.

Project: Lápiz gris noche.
Interior design: Viruta Lab. María Daroz & David Puerta.
Construction company: Varmont Build.
Surface: 55,80 m2
Location: Plaza de Salesas. Madrid.
Photography:  Paloma Pacheco.
Art Direction and Home Staging: Viruta Lab, FHE Art Studio.
Interior carpentry: Viruta Lab.
Exterior metalwork: Cortizo.
Electricity and lighting: LS990 blanco de Jung.
Acknowledgements: Tristan Domenecq Casa, IKB 191, Studio Bañón, Judith Sanquintín y Llop Madrid.

Furniture

Living room: Leather sofa 70’s: DS 31 by Sede Swiss at Tristán Domeneq Casa. Black pedestal: SXX pedestal by Tristán Domeneq Casa. 70s steel coffee tables: Tugsteno Cube at IKB 191. White tubular rocking chair: Armombiedro Skeleton at IKB191. Armchair: Bogie in Studio Bañón. Cushions: C&C Milano. Blinds: Pannno. Rug: Nordica Chevron Mist by Rols Carpet. Living room and bathroom props: Telephone, face bust, pedestal and body bust by Judith Sanquintín. Herringbone drawing paper: Blooming Moments by Saint Honoré.

Dining room: Dining table 50’s: Gio Ponti in Judith Sanquintín. Dining chairs: Refix by Jordi Ribaudí at Llop Madrid. Dining room lamp: Arc de Aromas del Campo. Dining room picture: Abstract brown and black Tristán Domeneq Casa. Dining room earthenware pieces: Nau de Asterisque in Llop Madrid.

Kitchen: Kitchen Cabinet : Constellation de Bacbac Studio. Kitchen earthenware pieces: Various in Tristán Domeneq Casa. Porcelain tile bench and wall tiles: Calacatta Gold by Living Ceramics.

Bedroom: Headboard: Viruta Lab. Night table lamp: Marble lamp in Tristán Domeneq Casa. Fabrics: Bed sheet, blanket and towel from Matarranz.

Viruta Lab

Viruta Lab was born in 2020 as a reflection of the artistic and architectural concerns of designers David Puerta and María Daroz. While he expressed his passion for drawing by painting on the walls, she trained in the demanding and delicate discipline of classical ballet. Two lives perfectly blended together, working in unison. Pure tuning fork effect. This is their architecture: functional, balanced, sensitive and sonorous. Organic, warm and timeless projects that are born from active listening, empathy and teamwork with the client. Residential, ephemeral, retail and contract spaces with a purpose: emotion.

Project by Viruta Lab