Zen meets tiny homes: movable “paper” walls transform spaces

Rui Miguel and Sonia Lopez both work in confined office buildings so they wanted a home with plenty of outdoor space and natural light. They settled on a 40 square meter (430 square foot) apartment with few windows, but a roof space, a small deck and potential. Enter Miguel Angel of Miel Architects who convinced the couple to cut a hole in their roof to create an indoor/outdoor shower as the centerpiece of the apartment. From above the hole appears to be a simple planter on their roof deck with the ivy plants disguising the depth of the descent (though the wood of the planter is the same wood of the shower). From inside, the hole turns an otherwise windowless bathroom into a magical place. During a storm, Sonia and Rui now shower in the rain. During summer, the air is cooling and in winter, even with the glass closed, the sunlight and plants create a tropical feel. Inspired by Japanese homes, the architects not only made the bathroom the center of the living space, but he copied the concept of Shoji “paper” panels (they’re often created using rice paper on a wood frame) as a way of dividing the home. Rather than traditional translucent panels created from rice paper over wood frames, the doors in the home are solid, but like their inspiration they move in multiple directions, allowing for softer closings of one large space. More info on original story: faircompanies.com Miel Architects: www.mielarquitectos.com
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