For the renovation of his flat in the Gothic quarter of Barcelona, the architect Gus Wüstemann designed a spatial concept of his own. The building was partially gutted and rebuilt with several different surface finishes. Many walls and ceilings were left in their raw state and sealed using a transparent lacquer coating. Inspired by a junction in the city, the architect based the apartment's footprint on the shape of a cross. In this section the floor, walls, and ceilings are painted completely in white. As far as possible, his spatial concept is intended to be "program-free". As such, all space-defining elements are reduced to the essential. The cross - "Crush Alba" meaning "White Cross" in Romantsch, one of Switzerland's official languages - accommodates the bathroom and kitchen areas. All the kitchen fittings are concealed behind white cabinet fronts. The bathroom can be folded away to serve as a lounge area. The lengthy corridor along the kitchen units leads to the spacious living area, the second half of the apartment.
Kitchenette, partially opend
The cooking surfaces can be easily folded away
Oak veneer, mobile partitions of Gurdo, www.gurdo.com
The walls in the living area are largely gutted and sealed only with a paint layer
Sketch of "Crusch Alba Loft" by Gus Wüstemann in Barcelona | all photos © Bruno Helbling
White MDF sliding doors by Gurdo, www.gurdo.com
The corridor of the kitchen is closed. White polyurethane flooring by Lotum, www.lotum.es
Surface made of Corian by DuPont
Looking through the hallway into the living room. Indirect, dimmable light strips of Vector Construcciones sa, www.construccionesvector.com
Behind the veneer wall connections, the heating elements and light sources are hidden
