{"id":194481,"date":"2022-03-17T16:26:44","date_gmt":"2022-03-17T20:26:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/interiordesign.net\/?post_type=id_project&p=194481"},"modified":"2022-11-22T14:51:17","modified_gmt":"2022-11-22T19:51:17","slug":"an-abandoned-schoolhouse-is-transformed-into-an-ambient-retreat-space-in-menorca-spain","status":"publish","type":"id_project","link":"https:\/\/interiordesign.net\/projects\/an-abandoned-schoolhouse-is-transformed-into-an-ambient-retreat-space-in-menorca-spain\/","title":{"rendered":"An Abandoned Schoolhouse is Transformed into an Ambient Retreat Space in Menorca, Spain"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Oversized wool Livingstones poufs by French design studio Smarin surround the fireplace, like an array of pebbles on a beach. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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March 17, 2022<\/p>\n\n\n

Words: <\/span>Lisa Di Venuta<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photography: <\/span>Pol Viladoms<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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An Abandoned Schoolhouse is Transformed into an Ambient Retreat Space in Menorca, Spain <\/h1>\n\n\n\n

A gothic-style, century-old building in Spain\u2019s Balearic Islands is now home to Artchimboldi Menorca<\/a>, an alternative corporate retreat space. The\u00a02,475-square-foot\u00a0locale, originally built as a schoolhouse in 1900 and abandoned over decades, resonated with Artchimboldi founder Anna Truyol, who spent childhood summers on the island.\u00a0\u00a0To transform the space into an eclectic haven for digital nomads she partnered with local architect, Emma Mart\u00ed of Mart\u00ed Arquitectura<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wanted to transfer my experience of more than 10 years in meditation retreats to the corporate world,\u201d explains Truyol. \u201cI\u2019ve replicated the island\u2019s simplicity and lightness while adding elements of beauty, functionality and creativity.\u201d The result is a tranquil co-working space. Manifold meeting spaces throughout the building inspire productivity with options to convene poolside or rest upstairs in the loft, which features accommodations for overnight guests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Preserving the history of the building remained paramount throughout the project, leading the design team to restore the fa\u00e7ade in its original state, replete with Gothic-style, stained glass windows and arched entrances. Juxtaposition between old world and contemporary style creates a tactile sensibility throughout both stories:  Polished cement floors contrast with rugged elements, like the original prefabricated concrete staircase and iron railings. The 20-foot-high ceilings were preserved, resulting in lofty volumes. A 13-foot-high chimney flue draws sight lines to the exposed wood-beamed ceilings and grounds the space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The bedroom features a modular Mags Soft sofa by HAY, sourced from Barcelona-based contemporary design showroom, Nordicthink.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Though the building\u2019s mar\u00e9 sandstone walls were dilapidated after years of neglect, Truyol and Mart\u00ed chose to embrace their imperfections, preserving the texture with a fresh coat of limewash. \u201cThe walls continue to have life,\u201d says Truyol. The rehabbed space also pays homage to its roots as a historic schoolhouse with playful forms. The designers installed a custom slate chalkboard in the living room, ideal for spontaneous brainstorming among colleagues, and sourced an antique bookcase from Belgium to display terracotta planters and woven, pima-cotton blankets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The interiors are defined by sensorial forms bathed in neutral hues, with the occasional pop of color. Oversized, pale-gray poufs surround the fireplace, like an array of pebbles on a beach. A globe-shaped pendant lamp with a cr\u00e8me-colored, knit shade diffuses ambient light above the dining table, where a set of white Belloch chairs with beechwood legs surround custom-built, modular lacquered-wood dining tables. Arranged together, the tables create a communal setting for family-style dinners (home-cooked meals are part of the Artchimboldi experience). The ideal home away from home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The lofty ceiling is accentuated by exposed wooden beams and quarters of mar\u00e9 sandstone from the original structure.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The arched front door is a traditional Menorcan design, painted to match the shutters. Clear sightlines throughout the space encourage communication among guests.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The long, communal dining table is actually a set of lacquered wooden surfaces (called Smart Tables), custom-built for Artchimboldi, and can be rearranged for breakout work areas.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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A set of Belloch chairs designed by Lagranja for Barcelona-based Santa & Cole blend organic plastics and beechwood.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Eight sleeping cubes, custom, accommodate overnight guests. The cubes are furnished with futons. Woven blankets are sourced from Teixidors\u2019 Boutique in Terrassa, Spain. Linen curtains from IKEA offer privacy.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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A 13-by-13-foot slate chalkboard, customized by the designers, is a nod to the building\u2019s historic roots as a local schoolhouse.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Anna Truyol also designed the custom bookshelf.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The terrace reading nook features a molded plywood chair designed by Charles and Ray Eames, sourced from Vitra. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Oversized wool Livingstones poufs by French design studio Smarin surround the fireplace, like an array of pebbles on a beach. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Clients can bask in the Menorcan sun while brainstorming poolside on an antique patio set sourced by the designers from Madrid-based art studio, Carina Casanovas. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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An outdoor shower is made with two pieces of mar\u00e9s sandstone, designed Emma Mart\u00ed.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n