Writer’s cabin in Madrid offers room of one’s own
The Writer’s Cabin in north Madrid juxtaposes curving wooden bookshelves against the simple lines of the frame
A writer’s cabin in the north of Madrid is a striking bolthole for a children’s book author. The small home office, created by Barcelona-based MuDD Architects, uses a combination of digital fabrication and skilled building work for a curving sanctuary in the Sierra countryside.
With temperatures reaching lows of -20 degrees in winter, the design accommodated the challenges of the area’s climate. ‘We wanted to achieve a very transparent building while still offering some comfort in winter,’ explains MuDD Architects founder Stephanie Chaltiel. ‘To do so, thick 20cm stone wool insulation was used in between the wooden structure, while a hung chiminea placed in the middle heats the cabin.’ A rich mix of woods adds to the ambience, with different tones of maple syrup finishings in the wood a warm juxtaposition to the locally sourced pine of the bookshelves.
The curves of the bookshelves follow the sloping line of the roof, forming a sculptural wave against the clean lines of the cabin itself. A complex process, it required the precision which comes with computer-aided design. ‘With this project, there was the opportunity for us to highlight the possibility of using digital fabrication for everyday use,’ says Chaltiel, avoiding the complexity and expense usually present in parametric design. ‘The CNC cut vertical and horizontal doubly curved parts of the bookshelves and had a 0% imprecision tolerance while being drawn in 3D, but were difficult to mount on site,’ she adds. The pieces were then assembled like a jigsaw puzzle, held together by the friction of the wood.
The wood is a warm foil both for the glass and also the folded oxidized iron of the roof, a living material with a colour dependent on the levels of oxidation. The restrained cut of the slender oxidised iron frame of the main façade ensures a seamless transition to the vibrant garden outside. ‘The idea was to create a game of forces, where heavy elements look like they're held in equilibrium, stressed by the cast hung iron chiminea and the pale bookshelves inspired by horses captured in the midst of their frenetic race,’ says Chaltiel. ‘This project came a few months after the author almost lost her life during the pandemic crisis. The writer’s cabin is an architectural symphony of her being alive and being able to create in this unique new built home.
Information
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Hannah Silver is the Art, Culture, Watches & Jewellery Editor of Wallpaper*. Since joining in 2019, she has overseen offbeat design trends and in-depth profiles, and written extensively across the worlds of culture and luxury. She enjoys meeting artists and designers, viewing exhibitions and conducting interviews on her frequent travels.
-
JW Anderson and Pleasing design a balloon-inspired collection of nail polishes and more
JW Anderson and Pleasing launch an uplifting new capsule collection featuring balloon-inspired metallic nail polishes and a take on the viral rainbow cardigan
By Hannah Tindle Published
-
Bottega Veneta drafts Venetian artisans for its unique ‘Bottega for Bottegas’ project, a gift list of local craft
Italian fashion house Bottega Veneta has sought out six craftspeople from in and around Venice to create precious objects – from playing cards to jigsaw puzzles – which arrive just in time for festive gift-giving
By Jack Moss Published
-
Agnès Varda, Luca Guadagnino and Wim Wenders: why Aesop’s love affair with cinema is more than skin-deep
Aesop’s new 2024 Christmas campaign celebrates its long love affair with cinema. Laura Havlin speaks with the brand’s head of global store design Marianne Lardilleux to discover why film is inherent to its DNA
By Laura Havlin Published
-
Tour this Estonian tiny home with big ambitions
ÖÖD Golden House, a new Estonian cabin concept, promises to offer a compact design for small and perfectly formed escapes
By Emma O'Kelly Published
-
Santiago Bernabéu stadium redesign: a sneak peek into the works
We take a tour of the Santiago Bernabéu stadium in Madrid, as the beloved sports facility is being given a refresh
By Agnish Ray Published
-
The heat is on: mobile sauna heralds a new breed of experimental hot boxes
Emma O’Kelly explores the emerging world of mobile sauna design in Germany, Norway and the UK, where new design approaches are taking this ancient practice into the modern era
By Emma O'Kelly Published
-
MOCA is a self-sufficient mobile home offering freedom to work (and roam)
MOCA (Mobile Catalyst) is a sustainable mobile home designed by the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia, and taking remote working to a new level
By Tianna Williams Published
-
A nest house in the Netherlands immerses residents in nature
Buitenverblijf Nest house by i29 offers a bird-inspired forest folly for romantic woodland escapes in the Netherlands
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Is this the shape of wellness architecture to come?
Explore the future of wellness architecture through trends and case studies – from a Finnish sauna restaurant to UK cabins and a calming Canadian vet clinic
By Emma O'Kelly Published
-
‘Off the Grid’ explores remote but refined homes in North America
‘Off the Grid’, Dominic Bradbury’s new book, is a richly illustrated chronicle of new residential design in far-flung locations across North America
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Câpsula, a series of tiny homes, champions 'living large with less'
Câpsula, initiated by architecture studio i29, brings together tiny homes, wellness and a design-led approach at Dutch Design Week 2023
By Ellie Stathaki Published