Lulu's Home, by Barbarela studio

Lulu's Home used to be a dark row house. Barbarela studio decided to divide it vertically, transforming it into a series of tall and narrow set of spaces. This way, light is captured at the roof and distributed along the three levels. We can say this is a new stage in the life cycle of this building of the 19th century, one that adapts perfectly to the needs of a contemporary family.

Interior view. Lulu's Home. Photography © David Frutos. Courtesy of Barbarela studio. © David Frutos. Courtesy of Barbarela studio.

Memory of the project

Lulu’s home project is done in two phases, spaced seven years. The first part, completed in December 2005, is the result of a renovation of a nineteenth century building located in the historic city center of Alicante. The plot is deep, surrounded on three sides by party walls and the main facade opens to a narrow pedestrian street, which consecuence is a very dark housing. The project brings together the last two building stories and divide them vertically to capture the light.

Lulu's Home is one of two penthouses that are born from this operation. The result is a house on three high and narrow levels that are looking for the light to the deck. In this phase, the construction consist on consolidate the structure, rebuild the facade and just ubicate the bedrooms and bathrooms. The house is a fluid space on three floors, finished simply with mud floors and smooth walls, which allows different uses. For a few years the ground floor was an architectural office and the other two stories the architects house.

In late 2010 interior design project begins to supress the hybrid use home and office and to adapt the house to the family’s growth.

Text.- Barbarela studio.

CRÉDITOS.-

Architects.- Barbarela studio (Nathalie Gidrón, Juan Carlos Castro).
Collaborators.- Jorge Galvany, Chema López, Lorena Masó.
Surface.- 118.80 m² (total floor area), 70.04 m² (terrace area).
Budget.- 48.200,00€.
Contractor.- Corquintin.
Kitchen.- Cocinas Rossi.
Date.- 2010.
Site.- Alicante, Spain.

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Interior view. Lulu's Home. Photography © David Frutos. Courtesy of Barbarela studio.

First floor view. Lulu's Home. Photography © David Frutos. Courtesy of Barbarela studio.

Second floor view. Lulu's Home. Photography © David Frutos. Courtesy of Barbarela studio.

Terrace view. Lulu's Home. Photography © David Frutos. Courtesy of Barbarela studio.

Exterior view. Lulu's Home. Photography © David Frutos. Courtesy of Barbarela studio.

Ground floor plan. Lulu's Home. Courtesy of Barbarela studio.

First floor plan. Lulu's Home. Courtesy of Barbarela studio.

Second floor plan. Lulu's Home. Courtesy of Barbarela studio.

Roof plan. Lulu's Home. Courtesy of Barbarela studio.

Section. Lulu's Home. Courtesy of Barbarela studio.

Setting up the canopy. Lulu's Home. Courtesy of Barbarela studio.

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More information

Juan Carlos Castro Domínguez - Nathalie Gidrón Sánchez - Carme Castro Domínguez Barbarela Studio STUDIO

BARBARELA studio is a company of architects, landscape architects and engineers founded in 2004. The main office is located in the center of Alicante.

Juan Carlos Castro Domínguez (born in Barcelona. 1972). Architect by ETSAVallès in 2001, in 2003 get a scholarship from the Mies van der Rohe Fundation and in 2005 obtained the Specialist Course at the UA Complex Architectures. Founding partner of Barbarela Studio, coordinates architecture projects and supervises office diffusion at social networks / Social Barbarela 2.0 /. The interest in architecture and new technologies have led him to carry out research and teaching at the University of Alicante, UA, where he currently teaches and coordinates the Laboratory of Architecture and Computation {LAC}. He is developing his PhD thesis on public space control, researching on mapping, data visualization and new technologies.

Nathalie Gidrón Sánchez (born in Madrid. 1972). Architect by ETSAM 1999, 2005 ETSAB Landscape graduate, Master of Landscape ETSAB 2010, develops landscape projects since 2003. Barbarela studio´s partner since early 2009. Besides the development and coordination of landscape section at Barbarela studio, is doing the doctor's degree at Interuniversity Institute of Geography / UA-UPV /. She is the editor of the publication P's what is landscape? Between 2000 and 2001 worked at Foster and Partners in London, in the development of two skyscrapers in New York and Chicago. Between 2005 and 2007 she was the coordinator of the Culture Department of the Architects Institute of Alicante /CTAA/ and 2008-2010 created and coordinated the OCOA, Architecture Competitions Office of the Valencia Community. Since 2011 teaches landscape at the European Institute of Design /IED Madrid.

Carme Castro Domínguez (Barcelona. 1964). Degree in Computer Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia in 1993, obtained Masters in Business & Technology for La Salle in 1999. Also holds Postgraduate and Masters in Coaching and Personal Leadership (2006) from the UB, University of Barcelona (Department of Psychology). Barbarela studio´s partner since 2010, is an expert in organization, processes and human relations in business organizations with over 25 years of experience as a consultant, project manager, business manager and currently coach, her great vocation: she is professor in Barcelona University /UB/ in master coaching training and skills.