Tabula Studio Transforms Client Experience Through Tactile Design in Bilbao Office.

In Bilbao’s Ensanche district, architect Nerea Apraiz has created something pretty special with her new Tabula Studio. Located just steps from the Isozaki Towers, this 92-square-metre space offers a reimagining of how design studios can engage with clients.

The former consultancy office, originally divided into compartmentalised rooms, has been opened up to create a functional workspace that accommodates five workstations alongside a glass-enclosed meeting room.

Tabula Studio has a dual function as both a working office and an immersive showroom. The bathrooms have been transformed into material showcases, each featuring different finishes and solutions that clients can experience firsthand. The pink bathroom showcases Alicante red marble flooring with Biocal pink cement walls, while the blue version features silver marble floors and a striking Dorian blue washbasin framed by chestnut panelling.

As distributors of Logos Scoop kitchens, the studio includes a prominent kitchen exhibition centred around a three-metre island. The display presents three distinct approaches: lacquer and walnut root wood finishes paired with quartzite worktops from Levantina Group and Cosentino, plus a stainless steel alternative featuring Pando appliances.

The entrance hall makes an immediate impression with its house-shaped panelling extending to the ceiling, finished in glossy lacquer. A vibrant yellow Ekstrem chair by Terje Ekstrøm for Varier serves as a focal point, dramatically lit by an Arkoslight Pop Up spotlight.

Throughout the space, a continuous red floor by Cement Design unifies the various zones. The only exception is the entrance hall, where multilayer stained oak flooring by Berry Alloc was selected.

The meeting room features a Monoplauto table by Miniforms – its irregular triangular surface perfectly fits the room’s geometry. Custom-designed work tables with Naturamia stone worktops from Grupo Levantina complete the central workspace.

Having completed over 250 home refurbishments in Bilbao, Apraiz founded Tabula Studio to explore more sustainable and locally-sourced materials. The result is a space where every detail has been carefully considered to offer clients an immersive journey through finishes, shapes, designs, textures, and colours – a true sensory experience that embodies the creativity and commitment defining contemporary architectural practice.

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[Images courtesy of Tabula Studio. Photography by Erlantz Biderbost.]