Reverence for Brutalism with a Twist: Torres Blancas Apartment Renovation by Studio Noju.

In approximately 400 square meters, the team at Studio Noju have managed to execute the seamless translation and transition from the old to the new in this refurbished apartment, part of the historic Torres Blancas (White Towers) of Madrid. Designed in 1961 by Spanish architect Francisco Javier Sáenz de Oiza, the building is what one could call an excellent example of Spanish Organicism, with its new (at the time) and unconventional use of reinforced concrete, and remains a Brutalist landmark to this day.

When looking at the plans for this Torres Blancas apartment, one would assume the extensive use of a Spirograph, as the programmatic flow of the space spirals from one room into the next, with uninterrupted ease. The cylindrical concrete exterior has been brought inside, with the edge immediately taken off through the material and colour palette change, alleviating the coarse forms of the brutalist building with what can only be described as a modern Madrid colour palette. The same can be said for the outdoor space, which has been recovered in the balconies that stretch over two floors, seemingly bleeding into the interior with an organic outline of green tiles crossing the threshold of the curved sliding doors.

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These tiles become a theme throughout the space, as we see the modern Madrid colour scheme developed in the bathrooms, with chocolate brown, terracotta and sage tiling making up the whole of each space. The base canvas of soft timbers and crisp, modernist whites is challenged by the turmeric yellow brought on by the existing glass bricks that have been there since 1969, when the building was completed.

The powder room becomes completely awash with honey-tones as the sun shines through the bricks, further saturated by the use of tiny turmeric tiles. In the kitchen, the ephemeral light emitted from these bricks bounces off the curvature of the stainless steel kitchen walls and bench. This juxtaposition of the old and the new, the modern and the mid-century, is evident throughout the apartment and makes for a satisfying push-and-pull of the formal and informal or; the organic and the systematic.

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The staircase to the second floor is a sleek, sculptural piece that foreshadows what is to be expected above, as the slices of mint steps are threaded together with a rich, golden balustrade, paying homage to the glow of the glass brickwork. Once upstairs, the aesthetic is light and clean, as the lines follow the curved narrative evident on the first floor, complete with a quiet study nook tucked away behind the curvature of the hallway wall.

Be careful not to miss the simple detail dotted throughout the timber floor panelling, where we see floorboards cut and curved in communication with the theme of the White Towers, inside and out. This becomes a further testament to the team at Studio Noju and their clear understanding and respect of the 1960s Brutalist landmark, but with a twist.

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[Images courtesy of Studio Noju. Photography by Jose Hevia.]