JOTAJOTA+ Reconfigures Madrid Apartment with Glass Blocks and Custom Joinery

Madrid-based studio JOTAJOTA+ has completed a renovation of an apartment in the Chamartín district, using a multi-functional timber structure and glass-block partitions to redefine spatial efficiency. The intervention avoids traditional partition walls, instead centering on a singular timber volume that dictates the floor plan's rhythm. A translucent glass-block wall at the entry refracts natural light while obscuring direct views, acting as a decompression chamber between the street and interior. The central carpentry element serves as a threshold between communal and private zones, housing utilities and establishing a continuous architectural datum. Material contrast is key: interior voids are finished with Rubio Monocoat's Midnight Sky pigmented oil, while exterior faces retain raw oak veneer. Flooring shifts from smooth porcelain in public areas to warm laminated wood in private rooms. Custom integrated headboards and dressers in bedrooms echo the main timber spine. Wet areas feature artisanal glass mosaic cladding and muted porcelain from Matter Atelier. The project reflects JOTAJOTA+'s evolution from color-driven zoning toward restrained, texture-focused materiality, as seen in their previous Chromatic Home project. The studio, which also designs retail environments like the Colchón Exprés showroom, prioritizes bespoke joinery to define spatial flow. The design argues for permanent, heavy architectural cores over flexible layouts in dense urban apartments.