Madrid-based architecture studio HANGHAR is challenging the rigid hierarchical room arrangements imposed on domestic life by traditional residential design and the real estate sector, arguing that users should determine the function of spaces. Founder Eduardo Mediero states that the real estate market reduces architecture to programmatic labels such as "living room, kitchen, corridor," which overshadows essential elements such as natural light, proportion, or spatial quality.
Beyond Standard Rooms: Program-Indeterminate Spaces
The studio's 85-square-meter Ronda House renovation in Murcia stands out as one of the first tangible examples of this approach. Rejecting traditional room hierarchies in favor of a series of asymmetrical spaces connected by wide central openings, HANGHAR argues that a home should not be a structure that dictates how life should flow, but rather a neutral background upon which life takes shape.
A similar approach is maintained in the 65-square-meter Lara House and 130-square-meter Casa Gracia projects in Madrid. Instead of providing flexibility through movable partitions or complex mechanical systems, the studio intentionally makes architecture less prescriptive. Through hexagonal rooms, interlocking hallways, and central openings, it preserves the atmosphere of the space while keeping its intended use fluid.
Sectoral Reflections and Impacts on Design Philosophy
HANGHAR’s approach adds a new dimension to global architectural debates regarding the extent to which real estate-driven standard housing planning restricts individuals' lifestyles. Rather than relying on complex technological solutions such as movable walls, redefining spatial proportions and circulation areas simplifies the tools of the "flexible living" concept in interior and urban residential projects, offering an alternative perspective to architects and designers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What alternative does HANGHAR propose to the traditional room layout?
The studio designs functionally neutral yet spatially and atmospherically rich living spaces that are connected by wide central openings, where rooms are not pre-labeled.
Does this design approach use movable walls or smart home systems?
No. Instead of complex mechanical systems or movable partitions, HANGHAR intentionally designs architecture to be less directive, offering permanent yet flexible proportions that allow the use within to evolve over time.
*This news article was prepared based on data published by Designboom.
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