Teruel House is a minimal home located in Madrid, Spain, designed by Jorge Borondo + Ana Petra Moriyón. The exposed brick walls and scraped concrete do not merely serve as backdrop; they become active participants in the spatial narrative. The concrete’s textured surface, revealed through careful abrasion, speaks to a broader cultural shift toward valuing the patina of time and the authentic marks of making.

The material palette reads like a carefully orchestrated dialogue between industrial heritage and domestic intimacy. Birch wood furniture introduces what the designers describe as “warmth and precision” – a pairing that captures the essence of Scandinavian craft traditions while responding to the Mediterranean light that floods through the glass block windows. This juxtaposition of materials creates what architect Peter Zumthor might recognize as “material presence” – the way substances communicate their essential qualities through texture, weight, and response to light.

The seamless self-leveling mortar floor serves as more than mere surface; it functions as a unifying medium that transforms discrete spaces into a continuous experience. This technical innovation reflects contemporary desires for fluidity in domestic life, where traditional room boundaries dissolve to accommodate the multiple functions of modern living. The table that serves as workspace by day transforms the same space into a dining area by evening, exemplifying this adaptive flexibility.

The pass-through bathroom represents a particularly sophisticated understanding of spatial hierarchy – a design strategy that recalls the enfilade arrangements of classical architecture while serving distinctly contemporary needs. This dual-access arrangement creates what might be termed “soft boundaries” – spaces that maintain privacy while enabling connection.