2018

RICARDO’S
HOME

We knew Ricardo since we had met at the Colegio Mayor of Valencia, but despite the age difference, he decided to trust us, for which we were very grateful. From the beginning, he made it clear that he wished to have an open kitchen and we all agreed to take advantage of the southern light that flooded the rooms giving on to the avenue, the Avenida de la Estación. Moreover, on the first visit, the large window suggested the possibility of creating a window seat in the manner of the old “festejadors”, a space caught between the inside and outside, from which to enjoy the street atmosphere and the sun that bathes Alicante. We applied this initial idea, based on the vernacular tradition, throughout the home, converting it into a storage bench that welcomes you and accompanies you through the home’s common areas. All the space thus becomes available to visitors, like an ethereal ribbon that highlights the flow. It contrasts with the electric blue cube, which is denser, heavier, and encloses the private areas, its bedrooms and bathrooms.

The following trick was to frame the kitchen, which plays an important role since it was conceived as a major socialising element within the common area. It couldn’t look too much like a kitchen, but rather like an extra piece of furniture in the living room, forming a final perspective framed by the shelves. Ultimately, this area had to be the home’s focal point, a real-life television channel in Ricardo’s house, where the stories and unfolding life are the true protagonists.