Apartment Musico Iturbi

The project consists of the challenging renovation of an apartment unit located in an abandoned early 20th century listed building in the heart of Valencia.
The approach to the project was guided by the ambition to create distinct, yet fluid, modern living spaces while leaving undisturbed the existing structure; the introduction of non-conventional partition walls made the entire depth of the space visible and interconnected.
Separation between night and day areas is provided by two tall wooden elements. These custom designed elements also contain the bedroom wardrobes and three sets of doors allowing varying degrees of privacy.
The ceiling height was also deemed a particularly valuable element in the renovation. The structure of the roof was restored and kept fully exposed, with no element of the new design in contact with it, underlining the respect for the past and also enabling the full sense of space and volume of the apartment to be perceived.
One more tool utilized to emphasize the special quality is the “direction” of the design elements. The wooden wardrobes, the full-height white curtains and the tall ladder accentuate the verticality of the space.
In turn, the long kitchen worktop, the white plasterboard pedestal and its line of light enhance the horizontal dimension.
The project introduces a contemporary design language, while enhancing the character and materiality of the old space. By only adding essential new features, “wounds” and layers of transformations over the years were carefully retained and displayed to enhance the sense of continuity with the building’s history.

Roberto di Donato Architecture