At a time when the price per square meter has risen 20% over last year and supply only seems to outstrip demand, small housing is one of the few possible answers. There are not many other options. The art of the tiny house is not just about adapting a small space, but about turning that limitation into a virtue. This is precisely what two apartments in Madrid, considered among the most beautiful in Spain in the category of small houses, do.
The Australian media Never Too Small, specialized in architectural design for tiny spaces, has produced a video of more than an hour that can almost be defined as a documentary. It features some of the best examples of how to maximize functionality and aesthetics in small apartments. Among them, two masterpieces of Madrid architecture in small spaces stand out: Casa Flix and Casa Gialla.
Casa Gialla: a Mediterranean corner in the heart of Madrid
Designed by architect Gonzalo Pardo, Casa Gialla is located in a 1910 building next to Puerta del Sol. The client, an Italian consultant with a penchant for design, was looking for a functional and hedonistic apartment that could serve as both a workspace and a place to relax. The result of this work by Gon Architects is a home of only 47 square meters that combines flexibility and playful charm, almost as if it were a toy house in the purest Polly Pocket style.
“The main inspiration for Casa Gialla is Italian houses from the 1960s,” Pardo tells Never Too Small. This translates into a vibrant color palette and a bold use of different geometries that evoke a Mediterranean profile.
The bedroom, tucked away to optimize space, and a terrace that seamlessly connects indoors and out, complete the design. The terrace, one of the most special corners of the apartment, even includes a bathtub and an outdoor shower.
Casa Flix: a tribute to symmetry and cinema
Casa Flix, also by Gonzalo Pardo, is located in Callao. This 42-square-meter apartment seeks to do “the maximum with the minimum,” a concept that resonates with the philosophy of small, well-designed spaces.
Inspired by Wes Anderson’s films, Casa Flix’s design uses symmetry, mirrors and a careful allocation of colors to delimit functions and create immersive environments within the reduced space.
“Colors serve to put you in different moods and assign functions to each corner of the home,” explains Pardo. Every detail in Casa Flix is designed to combine practicality and beauty, transforming a small space into a functional work of art.