“This was a building where all the conventionalism about inhabiting a residential building was questioned. We never had the opportunity to go inside the building until we first visited it with the real estate agent to see the apartment,” says Mora.

He adds: “Our first impression in-person further increased our admiration for the building. The interior is even more unique than the exterior. It is full of details, from the leather-covered handrails to the circular doors and the huge staircase that goes all the way from the lobby to the last floor; this stairwell is lit by a large lamp. The interior of the building is a fine example of the craftsmanship that can no longer be found in the construction sector in Europe.”

For the interior design of this 4,304 sq ft apartment, the goal was to create a space in dialogue with its original details. “The design concept is charged with subdued references to the building, not only formal or material but also ephemeral, such as the distinct amber light cast by the original glass-block facade,” explains Mora. “With this home, we wanted to highlight a way of looking at preservation that goes beyond the ‘freezing in time’ of architectural components and offer our own take on inhabiting a home in a landmark such as Torres Blancas.”

The designers also sought to restore the outdoor area of the unit to celebrate the original architectural intent, which was to turn the building into a “vertical garden”, with terraces draped in greenery. Non-structural walls were removed to emphasise the curvy form of the original interior architecture.

The ground floor is a prime example of this ethos, which tastefully blends the old with the new. It maximises the open-plan layout through an archaeology-like operation, where the old structural walls were unearthed and the later additions removed to improve the spatial flow and sense of openness in the home. The foyer that greets guests is a semi-circular space and features materials identical to the ones used in the hallways of the tower. These include Segovia black slate tiles and walls, as well as wood panels that feature a delicious wine-red finish.

A curved movable panel can enclose the entire space if required. This area leads to a corridor framed by a curved glass facade and is also connected to the living area and dining room. The ceramic tiles applied to the outdoor areas are also used in the living zone, to blur the boundaries between the interior and the exterior.

A new staircase was constructed in the same seamless resin material selected for the kitchen flooring; its handrail is an original detail: its polished brass finish inspired a similar look for the joinery throughout the apartment. In the culinary zone, a custom countertop echoes the geometry of the space, while the cabinetry is designed to integrate the curved base into the panel itself. A metallic finish on the walls amplifies the warm light that enters the space through the original amber-yellow glass-block facade.

The outdoor areas have been reconstituted as a continuous terrace that’s part of the original floorplan, with the greenery shielding the apartment from excess heat during long summer days. The space is furnished with various house plants and features the same glazed green tiles as the flooring in the adjacent master bathroom. A curved glass wall separates this bathroom from the terrace.

In contrast to the white ceiling on the first floor, the second storey features oak ceilings that convey a more intimate atmosphere in the four bedrooms; some of these rooms can be converted to host more visitors if needed. Modern white bathroom fittings and wall sconces stand in contrast to the vibrant hues of the mosaic tiles, which come in a colour palette unique to each bathroom.

Taking a total of 11 months to complete, the renovation proved the firm’s diligence in studying the original architectural elements and concept while conveying a contemporary sensibility fit for the home’s new residents.

“Many of the original ideas that failed during the sixties or were not executed—maybe they were too far ahead of their time—have been brought to the future in our intervention. We think that the most rewarding thing has been the recovery of the curved lines, the interior spatiality of the apartment and the exterior terraces flooded with greenery. It’s a house that seems to already be part of the building’s history,” says Mora.

Above all, the duplex is now a home that the designers cherish. They love every moment of living in it: be it cooking up a storm using ingredients from the house garden, enjoying a tranquil time on the outdoor terrace, or admiring the Madrid skyline while indulging in a soak in the bathtub.

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