Photographer and Writer Emma Sepúlveda’s Spanish Apartment Lets the Artwork Talk

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Mission Particulars:

Location: Valencia, Spain

Architect: Homu Arquitectos / @homuarquitectos

Footprint: 2,551 sq. toes

Builder: Enue

Photographer: Bacon Studio / @bacon__studio

From the Architect: “Emma Sepúlveda and her husband relocated to Valencia, Spain, to be nearer to their son, who had settled within the metropolis years earlier. Drawn to the rhythm of Mediterranean life, they determined to totally renovate an condominium on the Gran Vía. Their transient was concise however clear: restore the utmost ceiling top; protect or reinterpret the constructing’s authentic moldings; prioritize open, beneficiant areas harking back to their American houses; keep a robust visible connection to the tree-lined boulevard beneath; and immerse themselves in Mediterranean tradition whereas retaining the spatial circulate that had outlined their way of life. A key problem formed the challenge from the outset: most of Emma’s artistic work occurs at house. The design subsequently wanted to steadiness openness with the privateness, calm, and focus required for writing, pictures and inventive experimentation.

“The condominium was conceived with a intentionally pared-back program. Accustomed to giant, open home environments within the U.S., the couple requested just one primary bed room suite with a walk-in closet, plus a small visitor room primarily supposed for his or her two granddaughters. The rest of the house unfolds as an expansive day space designed for cooking, dialog, rest, and internet hosting—areas that help an intuitive, unhurried way of life.

“The aesthetic aligns with minimalism with soul and goal—an method that merges visible readability with emotional resonance. The chromatic palette is constructed round whites, grays, and ash tones, evoking the clean web page that awaits any artistic thoughts. This quiet backdrop permits the structure to recede, letting the couple’s art work, images, and objects, from Chile and a long time of journey, occupy the area naturally. To the left of the eating space, a wall leads into the primary open workspace, the place a customized show unit showcases Emma’s pictures gear. Two reclaimed and restored doorways, curated by the studio, mark the brink to Emma’s non-public workplace.

“Beneficiant and stuffed with pure gentle, the kitchen is anchored by a big central island, merging Mediterranean conviviality with the American custom of the kitchen as the guts of the house. The primary dwelling space is articulated by a collection of partial-height dividers that keep lengthy sight strains and pure gentle whereas carving out subtly differentiated atmospheres. A small, cave-like nook is an intimate retreat for the couple or for quiet conversations with  mates. This softly enclosed nook acts as a counterbalance to the expansive openness.

“Though the house owners hoped to protect the unique moldings, the set up of a brand new ducted HVAC system required rebuilding the false ceiling. The architects used this intervention to extend the ceiling top and introduce bigger, extra modern moldings scaled to the renewed quantity of the rooms. Their integration into the bespoke carpentry reinforces spatial coherence whereas including a sublime, modern character. A steady ash-gray porcelain flooring runs all through the house, performing as a seamless floor that enhances visible calm and provides prominence to artwork, furnishings, and every day life.

“Materiality within the challenge strikes a steadiness between modern finishes and salvaged items. Inside doorways and the stone washbasins within the loos have been sourced from demolition websites and thoroughly chosen for his or her proportions. Each bit was restored to align with the couple’s aesthetic sensibilities whereas guaranteeing simple long-term upkeep—objects with previous lives, given new that means.

“Emma Sepúlveda’s private journey is embedded in each sq. foot of this house. A poet, essayist, literary critic, photographer and civil rights advocate, Emma spent greater than fifty years in the US, the place she turned a public determine in Nevada. After years of witnessing rising social unrest, she and her husband selected to start a brand new chapter in Valencia. Her house displays that seek for refuge—a spot to create, bear in mind, converse, relaxation and begin anew.”