Versión Español: https://abaton.es/es/proyectos/casa-ayala/
Initially, it was an old house, distributed in a traditional and very compartmentalized way that prevented the entry of natural light and limited it to a succession of dark spaces.
The objective of ÁBATON was to give it a new, modern, and clean air, unifying the spaces and allowing the entry of natural light and redistributing the spaces. Now, the common areas -living room, dining room, and kitchen- are concentrated near the house's entrance door, and the private areas -bedrooms and bathrooms- at the back of it, where the kitchen and service area used to be.
The house was completely demolished, and all the installations of light, water, and underfloor heating were renewed, as well as the floors, walls, and carpentries. Only the fireplace openings were preserved.
All spaces, except the kitchen and dining room, are exterior. The living room has a total of 3 balconies facing the street, on a facade 8m long. The master bedroom, with a dressing room and an en-suite bathroom linked to the room, receives natural light from a block's courtyard. The L-shaped dressing room is clad in teak wood and protrudes from the corridor wall. Both the bathtub and the corian countertop are designed by ÁBATON. The remaining bedrooms (2) also incorporate an en-suite bathroom and share a light well with sufficient natural light. The design of closets, countertops, and showers are by ÁBATON.
Regarding the common areas, openings were made in the load-bearing wall that separates the living room from the dining room (located between the kitchen and the living room) to enhance the entry of natural light into these darker spaces. Although it was not possible to avoid the house having a long corridor due to its configuration and the clients' needs, it was visually shortened thanks to the master bedroom's dressing room, clad in teak, protruding from the wall. The kitchen, which was initially at the back of the house, became 2 exterior bedrooms with an en-suite and linked bathroom with ÁBATON's renovation.
Photography: Belén Imaz