Local studio Mesura has designed a live-work home for a gallery owner that combines exhibition space and living quarters in a former factory in Barcelona.
Located in the city’s coastal El Poblenou district, Casa Vasto is characterized by its 18th-century industrial buildings that were industrially dismantled in the 1960s and 1970s.
The apartment is located in one of these former factories and consists of two spaces – the public living and kitchen area which also houses exhibition galleries, and the private bedroom and bathroom reserved for the use of the owner only.
The service core made of birch wood divides the space without being attached to the walls or the ceiling, and it has an unusual domed design characteristic of factories built in Barcelona in the 19th century. This services the kitchen and bathroom components and has a toilet, shower and pantry.
On one side of the core is the living and gallery space. This has a large space for holding exhibitions and is filled with harmonious furnishings that create functional areas, including a long dining table with cylindrical legs and a large stainless steel kitchen island.
The lounge area is defined by a low, sprawling sofa centered around a coffee table made from waste created during the construction of the apartment by designer Sarah Regal.
Artworks and furniture are arranged throughout the space, which were curated in collaboration between the owners and Mesura.
“The interior design of the project has been reinterpreted as a constellation of unique objects separated from the confines of the apartment,” Misura said.
“These elements contrast with the white-painted walls and light wood furnishings to appear as accents of color and form, weaving a cohesive and contemporary identity throughout the project, emphasizing the pieces and artwork.”
The pieces designed specifically for Casa Vasto are surrounded by iconic design classics, such as the MR10 chair by architect Mies van der Rohe and the Seconda Chai by architect Mario Botta.
“Some of the interior pieces were designed specifically for the space — the kitchen, dining table, service center, bathtub — and others — the sofas, chairs, lighting — and were more of a process with the clients, who have their own preferences and interests,” Masura told Dezeen.
The frames are hung on the walls of the bedroom, which also contains two sinks and a bathtub covered in blocky concrete volumes.
As in the rest of the space, rectangular windows extend from ground level to allow natural light into the space.
“We believe that the pieces selected for the interiors create a cozy and unique atmosphere when in contact with the custom furniture we designed for the project,” the studio told Dezeen.
Other reusable apartment projects on Dezeen include an apartment in a converted bank office by Puntofilipino and an apartment in a former chocolate factory by SSdH.
Photography by Salva Lopez.