Cirera + Espinet Design a Barcelona Apartment Partitioned with Furniture.

Situated in the heart of Gracia in Barcelona, this playful apartment, designed by Cirera+Espinet is a study in open plan living. The overall idea was to create an open space that prioritises access of natural light, without losing the connection from one part of the flat to another.

Cirera+Espinet’s intention was to eliminate any kind of partitions and create the separation of different areas with built-in shared furniture. None of the ‘furniture partitions’ reach the ceiling and, in doing so, they preserve the continuity of the ceiling beams above while letting the light pass through the apartment.

The client asked for an industrial space that felt warm at the same time. The duo used a continuous cement pavement on the floor, and stainless steel finishes in the common parts of the house. At the entrance area, where natural light as it’s peak, they created an area reminiscent of a ‘log cabin’ where the floor, wall, ceiling and joinery elements are wrapped in timber.

While maintaining multiple functions, ‘furniture partitions’ also create a passageway that becomes the connection point between the daytime and nighttime spaces within the apartment. Towards the back of the floorplan, full height walls clad in a collage of finishes create privacy in areas where required. “We wanted to achieve an area of dynamic visual impact, so we opted for a combination of different materials such as green and white panels, with fir timber accents that also appear in other areas of the house.”

[Images courtesy of Cirera+Espinet. Photography by José Hevia.]