Located in the Modernist neighbourhood of Barcelona, near the Gaudi’s and Puigi Cadafalch’s city monuments, the Communicating Vessels is a 250 square metre apartment, which underwent a renovation process to get a new look.
In response to the client’s wish for a united, open space that could benefit from the natural light from early in the morning to late afternoon, the renovated apartment features meaningful open space built around the natural light.
Exposing and protecting the historic structural fabric, the renovation has furnished the space with custom-made designs. It has introduced a system of energy-efficient lighting, and the lighting carpets, which indicate and illuminate the various uses of this home.
For maximum infiltration of natural light, all mid-walls have been demolished, while the windows at the communal side façade have been enlarged. The only enclosed department built from the scratch, is the Core, which includes the guest room and the service areas, leaving the rest of the space diaphanous.
A row of uninterrupted uses, the communicating vessels’, create an open plan space, which runs undisturbed through the main sleeping area, the dressing room, the washing area, the kitchen, the library, and living area. No door can be seen through this open space, apart from a double one that indicates the threshold between the private and the public, while also help to save energy during the night.
The use of lighting carpets warm up a specific territory of the home as well as indicate the use, by their positioning and size. By inventing and installing these custom made ceiling frames, the typical light mishmash has been avoided and a better control of the quality and quantity of light, has been achieved.
Apart from that every frame incorporates three different illuminations – the upper LED line underlining the vault ceiling fabric, the lower LED line which spreads the light equally in the space, and the hanged adjustable LED spots, focusing on fragmented specific activities, adaptable to the user’s needs, such as reading or drawing.
The different uses are also indicated by custom made fix furniture pieces and the particular atmosphere is achieved by different materials and designs. The luminous ‘rotonda’ library is in a constant dialogue with the next-door eclectic 1923 Coliseum theatre, whose rounded reflections enter from the bow windows.
The washroom, designed as an atmospheric warm cave also adds to the artistic beauty of the home. In the bedroom, the gallery and windows area have been transformed into a green relaxation zone where an elevated deck incorporates a Jacuzzi bath tab.
The building offers a rich historic background. To reconstruct the history, all the overlaid plaster layers from the walls and the ceilings were taken, in search for the original beautiful brick walls. All electric installations have been placed in front of the walls, leaving the original surfaces untouched.
The cooling and heating is achieved by the sectional air-conditioning installations, for maximum comfort and energy saving. The custom made intergraded LED lighting has been installed to better control the quality and quantity of light, saving up to 85% of energy. All wood is certified and the furniture and lighting are made by the local Manolito & Manolita furniture brand.
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