This Madrid Home Proves Compact Living Needs Smart Design, Not More Space.

Madrid-based practice Burr has taken a former furrier’s shop in the city’s south and turned it into Benito—a compact home for two that makes every centimetre count.

The tricky bit was the floor plan that splits into two narrow strips of equal width. One sits at street level with a generous four-metre ceiling. The other is raised 1.8 meters to create a mezzanine, allowing cars to pass underneath on their way to the basement garage. This L-shaped layout needed smart thinking.

Protecting Madrid’s Industrial Heritage: MRT Project by Burr Studio.

The latest in Burr Studio’s ongoing enquiry into the “Elements for Industrial Recovery”— a strategic initiative that seeks to protect Madrid’s industrial heritage by finding alternative uses for obsolete spaces.

BURR’s solution was a staircase that works overtime. The space beneath its steps hides storage for appliances, food, cleaning supplies, and even a tiny WC—think airplane bathroom compact. Stepped doors that follow the stair’s angle make these compartments almost invisible, keeping things clean and functional.

The split levels naturally separate public and private zones. You enter from the street, wind through the home in a U-shape, and end up back at the main façade on the upper level. Both levels open to internal courtyards—the taller ground floor connects to a shared patio, while the mezzanine has its own private terrace.

Office Turned Colour-Blocked Apartment in Madrid by Burr Studio.

Burr Studio deployed a series of objects and interventions to transform a former office into a home. Distinguished by their materiality, the objects fill openings and spaces, hanging from load-bearing walls.

With openings on both sides and almost no internal walls (except the bathroom), air flows straight through. This openness makes the narrow plan feel surprisingly roomy.

The best bit are those shared building pipes running through the ceiling at odd heights. Rather than fight them, BURR built a half-barrel vault in the public area. It hides the services and adds a bit of dramatic flair to this modest Madrid corner.

Benito proves you don’t need loads of space to live well—you just need clever design that turns awkward constraints into standout features.

Burr Studio Transform an Industrial Warehouse in Madrid into a Photographer's Home & Studio.

Eulalia is a project in a series of renovations across Madrid by Burr Studio that responds to the city's dwindling industrial landscape.

[Images courtesy of Burr Studio. Photography by Maru Serrano.]