Completed in 2018, the project is situated in a Madrid neighbourhood. Due to the nature of the project, the style was structured with natural materials to produce a relaxed atmosphere. Bamboo was used for flooring and bamboo poles were used as a second skin in the natural and plastered walls.
Because of the complexity of the project, and with it in a small area, the concept generated spatial organisation through an organic geometry to serve every need in the project. Therefore, a vertical and linear element, such as the bamboo poles, were used and repeated all along the geometry, focusing on the transition areas.
At the entrance, the overhead marquee is surrounded by several and horizontal bamboo sticks, creating glimpses of the store’s interior from street perspective. Once entered, one finds the exposition and shop areas; its perimeter covered by the skin of bamboo poles. These poles conform themselves to the morphology of the furniture that the programme demands. They are cut by varnished metallic iron shelves when necessary. The shelves are stuck to the wall for storage and exhibition purposes; the shelves are adjustable in order to include a washing area with circular terracotta basin, or can be completely removed from the wall to generate a store counter. The walls are plastered in areas around the counter, sink and high areas, where the LEDs are located, bathing in light, both the walls and the bamboo sticks. Natural plants with terracotta pots were placed on the final shelf.
Through a sliding door, from floor to ceiling, the store becomes independent from the rest of the project's programme; generating the duality the client was looking for in his store. Through this door is the rest area, here a metal shelf continues with the morphology of the store and generates an L-shaped seat covered in upholstery in raw tones. This area leads to the entrances of the massage rooms and the bathroom.
The massage area is designed in a versatile way so that users can have either an individual massage, a massage in pairs, or two individual ones by means of a temporary dividing element in the middle. The materiality of this room is made up of dark bamboo flooring and a baseboard of the same material up to 80cm in height. The light, all regulated to the client's taste, bathes all using LEDs and is configured by means of rotating surface projectors.
Finally, the hammam room: two seats at different heights are arranged in a "U" form in order to generate different configurations with the client and the masseuse. The hammam evokes the idea of a cave due to its flat vaulted ceiling and that the ceiling, walls, seats, and floor are covered with small ceramic configurations in gray and earth tones. This ceramic coating is divided into three different bands, the floor and seat, with a circular shape and a dark tone, the middle transition zone with hexagonal shapes and a neutral tone and finally, the roof band with ceramic square and a more subtle tone shape. The relaxed atmosphere is generated due to the aforementioned and the project’s ability in choosing the intensity and the colour of the lighting bathing the room. This atmosphere was a result of bamboo having been used for flooring, natural colour in the shop and resting area, and darker colours for the massage rooms.
In the massage room, a baseboard of the same material of up to 80cm in height continues along the floor. Real and natural bamboo poles were used in the shop and resting area, in the same colour as the floor. Regarding the colours from the terracotta basin and flowerpots to the plastered walls and the neutral tones of the textiles that covered the seats of the resting area, neutral and earth tones were used; natural plants enhance the project’s natural characteristics.
The main challenge in this project was to provide an efficient solution to every need and function that the programme of the project encountered. Due to its small space, the difficulty of the challenge increased. Most challenges were overcome with the repetition of these elements and their configuration. Space was distributed organically, serving project needs. Shelves were used for the purpose of providing exhibition space, the counter, the washing space, and the seats. Therefore, altogether create a versatile project that functions in many ways solving every need.
