METCHA

The oracle of leather design culture.

Header

In her first project, Malu de Miguel creates an unpredictable home.

MS5 House by Malu de Miguel

Outside, a concrete box, seemingly impenetrable like a fortress. Inside, a voluminous, unpredictable, welcoming project. The first work by Spanish architect Maria Luisa "Malu" de Miguel is proof that first appearances can be deceiving. And you can't say it was beginner's luck, because combining concrete with smoothness requires a lot of confidence.

With a massive square structure measuring 400m², the MS5 House surprises without trying to impose difficult aesthetic concepts. It is what it is, standing out effortlessly in Madrid's urban landscape. Built to accommodate 3 generations of a family, this house was divided into 2 large pavilions and multifaceted spaces to get lost in.

There are almost no doors separating the kitchen or living room, and when the doors need to separate the outside space from the inside, they're made of glass to make everything look united and illuminated with natural light. The balconies are also spacious, purposefully to create living spaces. Simple in appearance but with fascinating solutions.

The interior shows the union of different people in every detail, record players share the environment with a modern Eames chair and a large white leather sofa that easily accommodates an entire family. On the wall behind a classic brown leather sofa, we can find some abstract visual art in perfect harmony with concrete bricks and well-chosen plants. There's no excess, every design in every room makes sense, it doesn't look like something created for Pinterest. A house of brutal fluidity and honesty.

Next stop, the multicultural Apartment 13.