Tiny Madrid attic given breathing space by Spanish architect Garcia & Ruiz

The Ruiz-Maasburg home maximises every last centimetre of the 60 sqm available in a penthouse apartment in the centre of Madrid, where property prices rank the city as the 14th most expensive in the world.

Madrid-based architect Garcia & Ruiz has employed theatrical ingenuity to give the flat an impression of wider spatial perspectives.

A sinuous hallway, which curves and shifts unexpectedly, creates a diagonal across the floorspace, dividing the private bedroom area from the living room and kitchen. A double-curving internal wall creates dramatic shadows, enhanced by lighting and implying further depth. The effect is of travelling through a much larger floor space.

The use of white and lighting are intended to create multiple nuances of shadows. Use of black panels as a contrast colour gives a sense of scale and depth.

The main spaces flow into one other, minimising connecting doors. According to the practice, the result is an interesting combination of architecture and scenography.