BURR continues its industrial recovery of Madrid with ‘Blasón’, the conversion of a former warehouse into the home and studio of writer Juan Ramón Silva Ferrada. The project is part of a series in which the studio gives new life to old industrial buildings and protects them from being torn down.

‘Industrial buildings in the urban fabric are under risk of extinction,’ explains BURR. ‘Our proposals aim to become a strategic toolset to protect the industrial heritage of the city through land-use and occupation alternatives that allow to extend this typology’s life and avoid its demolition.’

Blasón is conceived as one single volume organized by a large central wall, or ‘spine’. This spine contains the building services and also serves to separate the public and private spaces. One on side of the wall is a double-height kitchen, living and dining area while the other side contains a bedroom and a shower room on the first floor and a second bedroom and a writer’s studio on the mezzanine level.  

Built from white concrete blocks, the central wall projects in places to cause ledges, gaps, abutments, and buttresses. These projections adapt to the functions that each space requires, becoming, for example, a support structure for the kitchen or a platform for the metal staircase that leads upstairs. Meanwhile, openings appear along the wall to access the bedrooms and bathrooms.

For the roof, BURR preserved the original structure but avoided increasing the thickness of structural elements by adding steel bars to strengthen it instead.

a blue metal balcony was added to the mezzanine level studio

The architects also restored the original courtyards, which had been built up over the years to extend the interior spaces. These restored outdoor spaces ensure natural light, cross ventilation, and opening up the home to private outdoor ‘rooms’.

Opening up the courtyards also meant that BURR could celebrate the rear façade, which picks up the rhythm of the original pilasters of the boundary walls. All the exterior walls are materially unified with a rough mortar, called Tyrolean plaster, that ties in with the creamy colored concrete blocks. Of course, in signature BURR style, the neutral color palette of the former warehouse turned home and studio is activated by pops of bold blue and energetic yellow.

See also: BURR secures Madrid’s industrial heritage with ‘Eulalia’ warehouse conversion

the volume is organized by the central wall

the original warehouse roof was preserved

the kitchen is made up of stainless steel fixtures

openings in the central wall lead to private spaces

team: Matías Rico, Amanda Bouzada, Jesús Meseguer, Pablo Navas

metalwork: Viuda de Ramírez

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