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riginally constructed in 1966, the roughly 92 square-metre apartment had been essentially untouched for 60-years. It was raw, run-down and needed a full overhaul. The kitchen was originally in a zig-zag pattern so one of the first things they did was open up the space to create a natural flow between rooms. The kitchen, which with its central island is a main gathering place in the apartment, and the living room receive light from the west-facing windows and the small but functional balcony that looks over the tree-lined street. They added a tiny guest bathroom off of the kitchen, fitted with an artisanal terrazzo sink by Huguet and complementary handmade terracotta tiles designed by Margherita Rui for 950, and a separate cloak room for coats and storage. A small archway, a design element added into the space, leads to the two bedrooms, a study/guest-room and east facing windows.

One aspect that gives so much warmth to the space is the terracotta colour used in the kitchen. Introducing colour was new for Hector, who in London had been more focussed on a minimalist palate. But, this project reflects the evolution of his practice on the island in many ways: “After moving to Mallorca, we wanted to retain the core principles of minimalism — our “less is more” ethos — but with a warmer transformation,” he explains. Terracotta is a perfect balance with the South American brown-toned quartzite countertop and the discrete, natural oak cabinetry designed by Hector with the brand Cubro, that runs throughout the apartment and makes the space truly functional.

One defining characteristic of the apartment are the exposed concrete beams. It was the first time that Alvarez left concrete in a project in this way, but he wanted to highlight something of the original structure, and the colour and texture of the material added a subtle industrial quality that adds an interesting visual counterbalance to the rest of the space.