This tiny Madrid apartment is full of hidden compartments and trap doors
It seems Madrid is a hot spot for innovative microapartments. On the heels of a surprisingly livable tiny apartment smaller than a parking garage comes a similar apartment that has secret compartments and trap doors everywhere.
Located in an attic, it features a table, a bookcase, a hammock, a swing, and a disco ball that magically lower from the ceiling with the twist of a wall handle. Transparent panels that slide along rails allow different rooms to be created, enabling the kitchen to be separated from the living room or the creation of an additional guest room.
The second level contains trap doors that utilize the spaces between the wooden beams–the bathroom floor contains storage space while the bedroom is host to a secret tea room. Most ingeniously, a trap door in the floor opens up to reveal a dressing table containing a mirror on the back, with the empty table space creating a ‘seat’.
All the furniture is cleverly concealed and the walls were designed such that they are easy to push aside to make more space, making it a perfect fit for the owner’s lifestyle, a DJ who loves throwing parties.
According to Spanish firm elii, who designed the apartment, the architects wanted to create a constantly-changing environment. “The hidden compartments were the starting point of the project. We tried to make the most of such a small space: a space that can be many spaces at the same time–just like a stage. Every house, in its way, is a theatre where you perform your everyday life. In this case, the apartment was designed for somebody who was starting a new life. In this domestic stage, she will be able to test and try it out.”
Designing the apartment inspired the firm to translate some of the ideas used here to new projects. “After this project we are very interested in the idea of the domestic theatre: of giving the possibility to rehearse, perform and live as many lives as you want.”
Would you like to live in a fun, shape-shifting apartment like this?
A table suspends from the ceiling
The addition of a couple of chairs creates a dining area
A fun swing takes the stress out of a hectic day
All the furniture is concealed and the walls designed to be pushed back easily to create more space, giving the apartment an airy, spacious feel
Transparent panels slide across rails, separating and creating new rooms as and when required
A hammock descends from above, perfect for a spot of lounging
[via Fast Company, images by Miguel de Guzmán for elii, video via elii]