5m Wide Home Refurbished by Josep Ferrando

I have a new found appreciation for small living spaces. Don’t get me wrong, I still love a vast countryside villa or an expansive estate as much as the next archinerd; but you have to be particularly crafty, imaginative and unconventional when every last bit of space counts. Let’s face it, if the property market continues at this rate, living in even smaller apartments and houses will be the norm. If I did a poll of urban dwellers, I wouldn’t be the only one living in shoebox-like conditions, am I right? But it’s not all doom and gloom, no-siree…because today we’re here to celebrate the cleverly compact and to prove that a series of spatial constraints can give way to something really special. This playful yet potent precedent E+M House by Barcelona based architect Josep Ferrando truly nails this point.

Located in the historical area of San Cugat, Barcelona, E+M House is a family home that sits snugly between two party walls less than 6 meters apart. Ferrando preserved the original facade of the house and inserted a concrete structure to wedge between the neighbouring walls. This brought the internal dimensions to around 5 meters wide – yikes, talk about tight! An arched entrance door opens up to the kitchen, dining and narrow staircase. This concrete staircase longitudinally divides the house and is the main circulation path on all three levels. Upon entry you descend to a living room that is partially sunk below ground due to the sloping site. The space doesn’t feel dark however; a large void allows natural daylight to flood into the basement living room as well as the bedrooms and other communal spaces.

Ferrando took inspiration from Adolf Loos’ raumplan theory for the composition and staggered arrangement of volumes. Applying this method meant that the form was not directed by the standard floor plate but instead focused on the overall height and a dynamic section. There is great emphasis placed on scale and involves a series of steps into each room. The result is three main levels with a sequence of sub levels and voids that exist between volumes. These in-between spaces evoke a sense of spaciousness and create interesting sight lines within the interior and out to the street. According to Ferrando, it’s as if the house were “a hollowed piece of wood, shaped through light, void and visuals to interior and exterior.”

The combination of materials is visually striking but serves a greater purpose. The concrete bones of the house are left exposed but are softened by timber elements that permeate through the residence in the form of floor covering, ceiling, wall panelling and shelving. The network of timber shelves provides substantial storage space and a visual link between the timber volumes. A part of me shudders at the thought of keeping the shelves clean and dust free but hey, I’m happy to ignore that minor detail if you are! Three house-shaped chipboard volumes are suspended within the upper floors and accommodate a bedroom, the family bathroom and a study that connects with a roof terrace.

Ferrando has created a fun and functional family home by taking a set of obstacles and turning them into virtues. It’s a humbling reminder that living small can be just as sophisticated, interesting and satisfying as residing in a roomy abode. It’s about shifting our attitudes from wanting more to intentionally and mindfully choosing the opposite. If you’re fortunate enough to own a little slice of land (no matter how tiny) there is hope for grand living on a much smaller scale.