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PLUTARCO IS A MULTIDISCIPLINARY ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN STUDIO RECOGNISED FOR ITS FRESH, CONTEMPORARY AND HIGHLY VISUAL APPROACH. ITS MAIN HALLMARK IS THE BOLD USE OF COLOUR, THE GEOMETRIES. CAPABLE OF COVERING EVERYTHING FROM PRODUCT AND FURNITURE DESIGN TO RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS, RETAIL OR EPHEMERAL INSTALLATIONS.
How does the initial idea for this project come about? What was the main concept that guided the entire design?
This project starts from the optimisation of spaces, adapting to the needs of a family. A faceted spiral staircase that connects the three floors vertically and a horizontal axis that connects the kitchen-dining room-living room on the ground floor are the main axes that defined the programme. It was very important to open up the spaces as much as possible, whilst maintaining more hermetic corners for specific uses.
How did you work with the use of colour in this specific project?
We used colour in key elements that would bring individualism to each room. The colour green in various shades is transversal across all rooms and then formally the chequerboards repeat and also connect the different rooms, adding character. In some kitchens and bathrooms in the construction materials because they are rooms that last longer over time.
In the bedrooms we played more with the use of paint because it can change more often.
We turned the dining room into a garnet-coloured box as an enveloping box to provide warmth, and in the more open spaces of the house it is a neutral background where key pieces of furniture like the sofa play a key role.
"Furniture always plays a very important role in our projects because we believe it must accompany the general idea of the design."
What detail of the project do you think goes unnoticed, but is key?
The open-plan aperture from the kitchen to the living room is squared off so that it can be a continuous space, which greatly favours movement and the passage of light.
How has your way of understanding architecture evolved since you founded Plutarco in 2015 to today?
We are increasingly aware that you don't have to constantly invent something new, that readapting things that were done well in the past and worked in their time can enrich us now, although always giving it a twist. We are not afraid to say that we recurrently use many external references that we adapt to a contemporary moment.
How do you face risk when you work on projects with clients who may be more conservative?
In those cases, we try to take the risk of the project in elements that we know will not be structural. For example, with pieces of furniture that bring something different or using paint, which is an element that is very easy to replace later.
How do you integrate disciplines like art, design or gastronomy within Plutarco's architecture?
We believe that all these disciplines are complementary. They are all part of a way of 'living' at this moment and this must be adapted to the architecture.
"We would love to try the retail world. We have just opened the temporary exhibition shop at the Thyssen, but doing a clothes shop, for example, would be great."
How does Madrid influence your identity as a studio?
Madrid is a city where things are constantly happening. There are a thousand restaurant openings, shops, many exhibitions, etc. All this nourishes our day-to-day life and therefore our references. We are also lucky that it is a city where people are generally open to new ideas and proposals, which allows us to experiment.
What trends currently excite you in the world of furniture and interior design?
We are always amused by anything to do with innovation in materials and mixing them and different uses to create special atmospheres. Like the Frost-effect methacrylate we used in the Thyssen.
Why do you choose The Masie?
We choose The Masie precisely because you dare to use different materials, colours and shapes. It doesn't follow an established trend, but rather the options can be integrated into all kinds of interior designs.
What do their furnishings inspire in you?
Fun when configuring a space. Being able to dare to incorporate colour and more unexpected solutions into an interior.
Favourite piece from The Masie
The Flawas table, because it also works in all the material variations you have made.
A colour
Wine colour
Favourite style
A mix of several
Museum piece
Any piece from the Quaderna collection by Superstudio.
Your references
Charlotte Perriand, Pierre Yovanovitch and Flack Studio