Project:˝In Truss we trust˝ – Workshop Home
Architects: Ruizesquiroz Arquitectos
Design team: Enrique Morillo, Victor Gardyan
Contractors: Trazo Obras y Proyectos
Location: Madrid, Spain
Area: 287 sqm
Year 2020
Photo Credits: Imagen Subliminal / Rocío Romero, Miguel de Guzmán
Text by Ruizesquiroz Arquitectos
In an abandoned engine repair shed, full of rodents and industrial rubbish, some spaces are conditioned for tertiary use. The proposal relies on the strict modulation of the existing trusses for the articulation of its four areas.
The existing loft of the old offices and the large central skylight of the ridge, which was covered, are recovered. The strategy is to “do the minimum”, and enhance the overhead light and the presence of the structure, without adding materials or varnishes. In this cleaning and emptying, a patio opens in the last module between trusses, where a tree is planted and the roof maintenance staircase is inserted, where an urban garden will be planted.
The floor plan distributes the spaces with the clarity of Paladian palaces. The apparent symmetry is determined by the structure of the trusses and the gable roof. Only the thicknesses and the band of services under the third truss remind us that we are in the 21st century, although for this ship the reform has meant its Renaissance.
A bookshelf serves as a support for the library of creatives who will work there. The presence of vegetation, whether the citrus fruits of the access patio as the liquidamber of the interior patio, the climbing plants or the jasmines, replace the old presence of machines, fumes and fat. The sun seeps through the trusses, vegetation and books, creating a neutral space bathed in an overhead light that allows you to concentrate on learning and creation. Aerothermal air conditioning through polished concrete underfloor heating offers 24-hour comfort. The beauty of architecture motivated by the need of industry deserves a vote of confidence.
