The Magic Box Apartment

April 28, 2021

In a two stories old family house located in the center of Viladecans, an industrial town located in the Barcelona belt, Raúl Sánchez Architects renovated the ground floor destinated for a couple and their two daughters.


The house, with a corner location, is characterized by a structural wall that runs longitudinally and creates two well-defined bays on each side. From the beginning, it was decided not to intervene on the structure, so this wall became a backbone of the new proposal, which did contemplate the demolition of the rest of the interior partitions. In this way, from the entrance, a spacious hall opens, made up of a series of planes/partitions that twin with each other, announcing from the entrance that it is a new language, also opening gaps in the upper areas to allow the light from outside enters this area. Next, a common kitchen and dining space connects to the outside garden, with profuse vegetation, which was respected, connected to the inside through a longitudinal bench that slides into the window opening (enlarged with respect to its original size). The window itself was placed on the exterior face of the facade plan, turning it invisible from the interior, creating the feeling of being in close contact with the exterior.


  • Titolo diapositiva

    Scrivi qui la tua didascalia
    Pulsante
  • Titolo diapositiva

    Scrivi qui la tua didascalia
    Pulsante


On the other side of the load-bearing wall, a continuum of rooms is developed, which communicate with their own doors with the access area and the kitchen-dining room; but they also communicate with each other by means of alternative connections, which increases the spatial experience and the interior complexity of the house, since there are always two ways to get to the same place. There are four rooms (three bedrooms and a living room) and three service areas between them. The two smaller bedrooms, intended for the daughters, are actually one same space, in which the magic box is located in the middle: an abstract volume, like a jewelry-surprise box, made of brass, golden and shiny, which encloses the wardrobes, but also a secret passage between the two bedrooms through its central door. This magic box has a height of 210cm (the ceilings are 350cm), and can be climbed on top, making it a place for the girls. The requirement to design a special space for the daughters was present from the very first moment of the project, hence the project itself takes its name from this element.



The material strategy is restricted, but it influences the subtle spatial changes of the project: the flooring of the rooms is made of wood, but it changes its direction on either side of the load-bearing wall; in service areas (bathrooms and lobbies between rooms), the floor changes to white microcement, marking the transition between spaces that these areas represent; brass pretends to be a special material of a precious but mysterious object; lintels and jambs are clad in stainless steel to mark the passage of spaces that, despite being open to each other, change their function (the passage from the entrance hall to the kitchen-dining room; the passage from the kitchen-dining room to the living room ). Finally, a few color interventions were carried out, which subtly highlight the transition between spaces, aligning the color marks with the extension of axes, some of them visible (aligned to constructed elements), and others invisible (corresponding to elements of the design process).



Photography  José Hevia
Interior Design  Raúl Sánchez Architects  www.raulsanchezarchitects.com  @raulsanchezarchitects

SHARE THIS

 Contribute

G&G _ Magazine is always looking for the creative talents of stylists, designers, photographers and writers from around the globe.

WRITE US

 Find us on

Latest News

By G&G _ Magazine January 7, 2026
SAOTA introduced Lagoon Villa, an extraordinary architectural residence that seamlessly blends the vibrancy of Abidjan’s cityscape with the serene beauty of the Ébrié Lagoon. With interior design by Claude Missir, the villa epitomises modernist architecture while embracing the natural environment.
By G&G _ Magazine November 25, 2025
With an enviable location for those wishing to explore the city's art and culture, the Avani Museum Quarter Amsterdam Hotel is an ode to balanced and functional design, with its aesthetic curated by Spanish interior design studio El Equipo Creativo .
By G&G _ Magazine November 24, 2025
Visiting Casa Batlló means encountering the genius of Antoni Gaudí in his most imaginative and immersive form, where this modernist masterpiece combines creativity, craftsmanship, and multisensory storytelling.
By G&G _ Magazine November 11, 2025
LEI Interior Design has been recognized with the Best Luxury Apartment Interior Design award for Mina Azizi , Palm Jumeirah, in Dubai, UAE. This impressive honor from Luxury Lifestyle Awards reflects a thoughtful and design-led renovation that redefines what modern beachfront living can look and feel like.
By G&G _ Magazine October 28, 2025
Palmira an d GCA Architects unveil a room concept Praise to the Essential , celebrating the authenticity of materials and the elegance of simplicity. In a moment when travelers value emotional well-being and disconnection, the proposal reflects a new approach to Hotel Design, creating spaces that evoke tranquility, sensory experience and genuine comfort.
By G&G _ Magazine October 6, 2025
From October 22 to 25, 2025, the Ptak Warsaw Expo in Pruszków, Poland, will host the 9th edition of Warsaw Home & Contract , the largest interior design trade fair in C entral and Eastern Europe. This year, the event expands its scope, encompassing seven specialized trade fairs unde r one roof: Lighting, Textiles, Bathroom, Furniture, Kitchen, Build and Contract.
MORE

 Subscribe

Keep up to date with the latest trends!

Receive a dose of inspiration directly into your mailbox!

 Popular Posts

By G&G _ Magazine March 9, 2026
Between February 6 and March 8, Madrid Design Festival 2026 offered an intense program of exhibitions and events across the city. Throughout these days, it was possible to perceive the evolution of the festival, which expanded its program by integrating professional talks and meetings, revealing a strong desire among industry professionals to share the new Spanish approach to design with the world.
By G&G _ Magazine March 6, 2026
In a world where many hotels rely on polished aesthetics and predictable luxury, Piet Hein Eek offers a radically different vision. One of the most influential Dutch designers of the contemporary scene, Eek has built his reputation on redefining design through reuse, craftsmanship and imperfection. At the heart of this ecosystem lies the Hotel Piet Hein Eek - a project that embodies his philosophy and invites guests to experience design not as a static object, but as a living environment.
By G&G _ Magazine February 24, 2026
From 5 February to mid-March 2026, across three emblematic locations in Madrid — Institución Libre de Enseñanza, Plaza de Colón and FORMA — LOEWE Perfumes presents Crafted Garden , an immersive installation conceived for Madrid Design Festival 2026 . The project unfolds as a sensory journey inspired by Renaissance gardens, bringing together nature, fragrance and contemporary craftsmanship in a multi-layered exploration of design and olfactory culture.