Argentinean architecture firm Carol Burton Architecture has renovated a flat within a historic apartment with warm interior space and pastel-toned color palette in the residential area of Palermo neighborhood in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Named Seguí Studio Apartment, the architect reflected the picturesque architecture of the apartment's times in each part of the building, from the exterior volumes to the organization of the functional program. Originally built in the 1940s, the client wanted to renovate this flat with warm textures and colors, with more functional and innovative way.

The architects created a smooth interior reflecting the apartment's time spirit. "Before the intervention, the apartment, of only 54 built square meters, had a segmented layout. In the ground floor there was a lobby, a toilet, and two offices; in the mezzanine, there was another office, a toilet, and a kitchenette," said Carol Burton Architecture.

The materials recalled the style characterizing residential buildings in the 1990s, the time in which the last renovation was made: wooden floor; original iron carpentry, painted in black, and continuing stucco wall coverings, painted in yellow. The existing furniture was also a faithful witness of that time.

"The main purpose of this new renovation was to create a diaphanous and luminous space, which is also warm, functional and innovative," added the architects.

The most significant change was the creation of a common area, including the lobby, the kitchen-dining room and the living room-office, which were previously separated. This is the most outstanding area, since it offers an important functional flexibility. 

Carol Burton Architecture created a new volume, which includes a staircase, a storage space, a kitchen and a toilet. In the mezzanine, there is now a bedroom with a wide toilet. 

"To make the toilet more luminous, we replaced the original partition separating it from the bedroom by a glass screen," added the firm. 

"As regards materials, we placed chevron natural oak wood floor in the whole apartment, except for the bathrooms, where we placed exclusively-designed terrazzo floor tiles." 

The studio mainly used artificial indirect illumination, placing small lightings in partitioning elements and furniture pieces. They have placed only the pieces of furniture that are essential for each room’s function; the finish on furniture is in line with the limited range of materials used in this architectural intervention. 

Project facts

Project Name: Seguí Studio Apartment
Architect: Carol Burton
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Year: 2019
Constructed area: 54m2
Collaborators: José Durigón
Construction Company: PGO S.A.
Technical Director: Arq. Angeles Giraudo
Interior Design: Sisters Caradonti

All images © Gonzalo Viramonte

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