Small Apartment in Buenos Aires by IR arquitectura

If small is the new black, then this tiny apartment, all 18 square-meters of it, is as black as you’re likely to get. As with all exceptional ‘tiny’ design, it manages to fit a lot into a little, without compromising on the feeling of space or liveability.

Forming part of a property built in the 1950s in the neighbourhood of Chacarita, Buenos Aires, the apartment was recently redesigned by the Argentinian architects IR arquitectura. It occupies an ‘ochava’, or corner of the building’s first floor, and looks out onto the street below. From the exterior, the balcony – sheathed in a delicate, white wave-like perforated structure – is both whimsical and entirely contemporary.

No doubt the feeling of space in this tiny apartment is accentuated by the addition of this 7 square-metre addition, seen in all its white undulating glory from the street-side elevation. The balcony is viewed internally through folding, timber-framed, glassed doors and then encapsulated by the white, steel framed, curved balcony wall on the other. The semi-transparent white, wave-formed skin applied to this steel framing is, simply put, just stunning. The whole ‘white’ atrium effect is enhanced above by the addition of a glazed ceiling, letting in both the light and the vista of nearby treetops. In summer it acts as a sanctuary to enjoy the outside while in winter it serves as a thermal trap to heat the apartment.

Inside, the result is no less spectacular. The kitchen and laundry joinery were cleverly designed to fold away out of sight, containing a secret panel that reveals a tucked-away bathroom. A bedroom and study nook sit on a raised platform, enabling privacy from the rest of the space surrounded by open shelving, filled with plants and books. The shelving allows light to filter through while retaining a sense of seclusion.

The remainder of the space acts as the living area, to be managed at the whim of the occupant; open it up to the balcony and space becomes larger, close it down and it instantly feels a lot cozier.

Storage is king in small apartments, and this one doesn’t let down. Every square inch of space is accounted for, from overhead cupboards to false ceilings converting coveted overhead areas into storage.

This tiny apartment is a delightful space, one that in no way leaves you wanting more. Which is just as well, because you quite simply couldn’t squeeze another thing in. Maybe some cool tunes perhaps? Lucky they hardly take up any room at all.

Related: Living Large in Small Spaces.