The idea was to create a unique
white and airy atmosphere.
Using glass panels as walls allows
the light to flow through all of the rooms.
The apartment is about 30 square meters, 3.25
meters wide and nine meters deep.
My name is Jesús Huarte.
I'm an architect and the owner of Territorio de Arquitecura
in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The apartment is located
in Recoleta, a neighborhood in Buenos Aires.
Recoleta is a residential neighborhood
known for its Paris style townhouses
lavish former palaces and posh boutiques.
The building was built in the seventies
and has always been residential.
The client is a sensory artist
that uses different smells to create her pieces.
She's a very tidy and clean person who wanted a place
in a central area of the city where she could live
and work.
The apartment was in a very good location, but it lacked natural light.
The balcony windows were the main source
of natural light in this apartment.
There was a small bathroom and kitchen.
The living, dining and sleeping areas
shared the rest of the open space in the apartment.
We increased the size of the bathroom
and moved the kitchen out to the open space.
The two windows that were in the bathroom
and kitchen were enlarged, and moved.
I added another window to the dining area which helped to brighten up the apartment.
Metal and glass walls divided the kitchen,
dining and bedrooms.
After you open the front door, there is a small hallway.
We restored the oak floors using the pieces from the areas
that would be covered by the new design.
On the right there is a long closet which goes from the entrance
to the end of the kitchen area.
At the entrance the closet has a space for shoes and coats.
The kitchen is compact without being cramped.
The main side is against the wall of the bathroom and has white
floating shelves for storing small art pieces.
the countertop and splash backs
are made from a light green marble.
On the other side there is an island
that can be used as a bar using the stool.
There is also space for the washer/dryer machine here.
We hung two pink lights over the island to light the island surface,
but also as an ambient room light in the evenings.
A storage wall was placed along one
side of the apartment to hide away the clutter.
A white metal and glass wall divides
the kitchen space and the dining area,
As well as letting in light, it encourages interaction
between the people in the kitchen and the dining areas.
The dining area
is kept quite minimal with a round white table and white chairs.
In the evenings there is a pendant light
above to illuminate the table.
The client doesn't watch TV, so
a large sofa wasn't needed.
Instead, there is a foldable mat that can transform
to a floor seat or lies flat for when guests are over.
We installed a swing made from wood and leather.
This is another playful element in the apartment and doubles as a seat.
It can be easily removed to free up the space when needed.
Separating the dining area
and bedroom is another metal and glass wall.
This time with a door to maintain privacy when needed.
There is a double sized bed, all in white
and a built-in closet for the client's clothes.
The bedroom opens up to a small balcony
that looks out onto the neighborhood.
When the balcony and bedroom doors are open,
it can circulate air around the whole apartment.
The bathroom is by the entrance and is where we wanted
to experiment with colors to create a playful atmosphere.
For the walls, we use white ceramic tiles
and painted the wall on the top half in a dark green.
The vanity is a light wood and the counter and
splashback is a soft green marble.
We added a semicircle mirror
above the sink and another on the wall.
For the shower
A salmon curtain gives the corner
a nice pop of colour.
A new, larger window brings in more light than before
and is great for air circulation.
I believe in this idea of renovate
and recreate this spaces.
My philosophy is to find creative ways with the preexisting space,
the owner's desires, and my own way of transformation
with useful, flexible and comprehensive solutions.