A Modern Renovation Of A 300-Year-Old Small Barcelona Apartment

In dense urban areas it’s becoming increasingly apparent that small spaces are becoming the norm. By their very nature, small homes force us to think more creatively about how we use space, what we can double-up on, and how to make it seem larger. This awesome LEGO-inspired apartment in Barcelona is no different.

Located in Barcelona’s El Born district, this modern re-design of a 17th-century fisherman’s home takes inspiration from the design of boats. The 743 sqaure-foot apartment contains two bedrooms, two full bathrooms, a kitchen and a living room.

To make the space serve several functions the designers incorporated sliding walls – large panels that can partition off a space, or even create a room, depending on the requirements. Some other great features include a floating shower, and a hidden bathtub under the timber floor.

Often these small spaces and tiny houses come with out any garden space. The same is true of this apartment, but the owners have created a small vertical garden, creating a little green get-away with the home.

Each space has been conceived as a fluid element, able to adopt and fulfil several functions. And while this retro-fit required updating the interior to a large extent, the designers were aware of the historic importance of the building and opted to keep several of the original features (such as the Catalan vaults, old beams and mud bricks), adding some traditional character and warmth to a new home.

Via Treehugger