Churri House Remodeled by ZOOCO Estudio

Churri House, is located within a protected 19th-century residential building in the Puertochico neighbourhood, characterised by decorative mouldings and expansive woodwork and glass galleries typical of this era.

Working around the original features, ZOOCO Estudio sought to open up the unit to create a central living area with interstitial spaces housing private rooms and service areas around it.

“In the interior, the layout had hardly changed from the original, and it had the classic configuration of long corridors and communicating alcove rooms, creating a sort of labyrinth of small dark spaces,” ZOOCO Estudio principal Miguel Crespo Picot mentioned.

Following existing structural elements comprising pillars and oak beams and joists, the new space was formed by enclosing the main central area with two interstitial spaces and a dividing wall clad in modular oak paneling.

“Pillars were chosen to give prominence and meaning to the large central space, and [beams and joists] solve the new connections between both spaces and the different heights resulting from the intervention,” said Crespo Picot.

Planned around the apartment’s southerly orientation, the two spaces house service areas like toilets, kitchen and a laundry room, as well as the private bedrooms.

To integrate the interventions with the existing architecture, ZOOCO Estudio referenced the original use of timber for the apartment’s exterior shell with oak paneling for the internal dividing element, giving the new and old spaces a tonal distinction.

The surrounding walls were finished with neutral white surfaces contrasting the wooden walls, which integrated doorways and concealed storage spaces.

“The two new spaces are given a continuous and modular oak wood paneling, with different doors and storage spaces completely integrated and concealed,” said Crespo Picot.

“The remaining elements of the apartment are finished with white, smooth surfaces to focus attention on the wooden paneling,” he continued.

Neutral materials were also chosen for the interior finishes found in the kitchen and bathrooms, maintaining focus on the wooden paneling.

This included pale grey kitchen units that were only slightly darker than the white walls and tiles with contrasting monochrome checkered flooring in the bathroom.

Putting the old and new forms next to each other with a contemporary flair, ZOOCO Estudio’s design looks to encourage a harmonious and respectful relationship between the traditional and the contemporary.

“We have valued the opportunity that the spaces and materials of the past offer for a unique and contemporary language,” said Crespo Picot.

“We defend a radical respect for traditional architecture and its materials as a unique opportunity to work with them. It is an exercise purely of integration, of maintaining this type of element and updating them in a contemporary way.”