"We want spaces that reconnect with the essence of people"
Interview with Beatriz and Teresa Enríquez, partners of COMAD Arquitectos
By Noelia Jiménez
"We want spaces that reconnect with the essence of people."
Interview with Beatriz and Teresa Enriquez, partners of COMAD Arquitectos.
By Noelia Jiménez
From the heart of the capital, they look out a window that gives direct access to the great project of their lives. At least that's how Beatriz defines it, who confesses to having 'grown' professionally as an architect with the evolution of the 125-127 Velázquez plot, the last vacant lot on one of Madrid's most coveted streets: "I have been working on Los Jardines de Velázquez all my life, long before it even had this name. My father bought the site 24 years ago and I have been involved in all the evolution of the urban plan and in the different projects that have followed: from the office building that was thought of at the beginning to this luxury residential development that we are now developing," explains the architect and founding partner of COMAD.
Is it a challenge to develop a new building on the only vacant lot in such an emblematic area of Madrid?
[Beatriz] Undoubtedly, because it will have a great impact at all levels. That is why the first thing we have taken into account was to be very respectful with the area, a link between the Salamanca neighborhood and El Viso. Doing new construction here is a great opportunity and, in addition, developing an exclusive project allows us to enjoy designing down to the last detail. In this sense, the developer has given us tremendous freedom and flexibility.
What are the architectural guidelines of Los Jardines de Velázquez?
[Beatriz] First of all, the building is facing Velázquez street, although the plot is on the corner of María de Molina. Velázquez is a less noisy street and this is very important for a residential building; in addition, the facade of this street is also longer than that of María de Molina, and in addition to this, Velázquez is a more sought-after street.
The second key was to design large houses, in which light was the protagonist and that also had a small green oasis with a manicured garden on the property. This made us think of large windows that connect the north and south facades, cross ventilation, that all the houses were exterior....
It is curious that light has been so important in Los Jardines de Velázquez, when Velázquez was a master in the mastery of light. And that Velázquez, being from Seville, was the great painter of the skies of Madrid and you, being also Andalusian, have designed this oasis in the heart of the capital.
[Beatriz] Indeed, Velázquez has been, beyond the location of the project, a source of inspiration for us. And that is why we also chose the figure of a menina as the emblem of Los Jardines de Velázquez, since it is an icon that is at the same time very Madrilenian. And the menina goes beyond the logo: the main façade of the building itself has a movement with which we wanted to reflect the particular volume of the Meninas velazqueñas..
[Teresa] In the end, one of the aspects that makes us feel so proud of this project is that we have designed it in a completely integral way, working the concept from the beginning and not only in the architectural part by Beatriz, but also in what refers to the brand image, the landscaping, my vision as an interior designer... And this is how we want to continue working for the client: the treatment they are going to receive from us does not end with the purchase of their home, but we are going to help them throughout the whole interiorism and decoration process, offering a complete after-sales service and a special bond.
[Beatriz] In fact, the homes can be customized, not only in the finishes, but in the layout itself. We love to think of each of the eight homes in Los Jardines de Velázquez as a small, big project within the common design, because it's a challenge that makes it more appealing. For example, a chef, who requires a kitchen with great prominence, does not have the same needs as a professional who lives in Dubai and wants this home as a base in Spain, but will inhabit it only a few times a year.
What kind of materials are protagonists in Los Jardines de Velázquez?
[Teresa] We were very clear that this project had to be carried out with noble materials: stone, wood, green. The goal is to create that silent luxury that is now so much talked about but that is nothing more than feeling the category of that which is very good, of a lifetime, but without ostentation. To design with timelessness so that, when thirty years go by, this will still be a magnificent building.
How curious to talk about green in the heart of a big city like Madrid. What makes Los Jardines de Velázquez such a great little lung?
[Beatriz] First, we are fortunate to be on a block that already has large private gardens. And just behind is the French ambassador's residence, with a green area that brings a large dose of nature to the area. That is why in Los Jardines de Velázquez we wanted to provide a green continuity and, instead of conceiving a round building, in which the space was used to the maximum, we preferred to integrate a natural area within the building itself.
"Simplicity, proportion, pure lines, light and beauty" are your differential values. Have you taken them to their maximum exponent in Los Jardines de Velázquez?
[Beatriz] No doubt. Less is more and is much. Everything has to have its proportion, its harmony. And with simplicity, because overloaded things generate noise and a heavy impact on the environment.
Since this project is named after a great genius like Velázquez, does the artistic concept also play a role in your proposal? Since this project is named after a great genius like Velázquez, does the artistic concept also play a role in your proposal?
[Teresa] For the interior design projects we do, art pieces are fundamental. We believe that art gives the monumental aspect to a building. In this case, for example, we want there to be an installation suspended in the stairwell, which is very special and gives it a lot of personality, as well as honoring Velázquez's name.
This type of pieces give an added value for the owners, especially considering that the client who invests in these homes is, in many cases, an art collector.
Let's go back to the landscape aspect, so important not only in this project, but also in all your proposals. Which are the natural spaces that inspire you the most?
[Beatriz] The countryside. Everything that is natural and green. I am one of those who take off my shoes and I need to walk barefoot, that's why organic is very important to me, nature in its pure state.
[Teresa] Our obsession is how to transmit in a project that is still artificial all the emotions that nature provokes in us, the purest landscapes of the countryside. And we believe that this is now the present and the future of architecture and interior design: to create sensations of harmony, peace, nature, to reconnect with the essence of people. That's why we try to take great care of tones, textures, to create a universe that has a serene harmony.
How do you work with textures?
[Beatriz] The most important thing for us is homogeneity, both in color and materials. We don't like houses to become showrooms where you can find all kinds of trends: we run away from that and focus on unifying to harmonize.
[Teresa] We want spaces where everything is toned with a range that gives a lot of light and is timeless.
"The objective is to create that silent luxury that is now so much talked about but which is nothing more than feeling the category of that which is very good, of a lifetime, but without ostentation."
Detail of a bedroom of Jardines de Velázquez (computer generated image)
It is curious that you bet on neutral colors... and that one of Beatriz's award-winning interventions, one of the most acclaimed, Con mucho arte, stood out precisely because of the use of colour.
[Beatriz] Indeed, it was pure color. And behind it there is a very curious story. I got a call from a Mexican family friend who was going to design the auditorium for Casa Decor in 2020. We were just coming out of confinement and there were no clear regulations, so designing a space in which there was going to be social contact was a real challenge, because in addition the required capacities and distances changed almost every day.
On the other hand, we were in an emotionally gray time, with people sad because they had been separated from their loved ones, so we wanted to transmit joy and vital energy. I immediately thought of Luis Barragán, who for me is the Mexican architect of reference, and I was inspired by his use of color. With these premises we designed the intervention, which was both an auditorium and an art room, and we invented a kind of corridor that introduced you to the universe of color. And precisely color was our ally to mark the safety distances, for example. Beatriz, you founded COMAD in 2007... and then came the real estate bubble and the great cataclysm of the sector. What did you learn from growing up rowing against the current?
[Beatriz] Those were very hard years. I resisted by going to bed very late, sleeping very little and earning zero euros. There was a time when architecture was not worth anything and we gave away our work. We had to win competitions, make ourselves known and work very hard.
Although you cover a wide range of projects, from offices to hospitality, residential is your strong point. What are your non-negotiables when it comes to designing a living space?
[Beatriz] I'm crazy about closets, having lots of storage space, and also looking for as much light as possible.
[Teresa] Of course, I take light for granted. And I would also say the ceiling height, and that the day area should be as wide as possible: create open spaces in the living room, kitchen...
[Beatriz] When we design a house we think about our daily life, what we need and how we are going to live those spaces. I am aware that we have to take advantage of every nook and cranny and, as I say, 'hide a lot', so as not to generate visual noise.
That is a very feminine aspect... and, in fact, in COMAD there is a majority of women. Is there a feminine vision of architecture?
[Beatriz] Maybe patience and detail, pampering. We women are probably more meticulous and we give a lot of importance to the client's experience, to how they are going to feel, that the space is functional and that they feel at ease during the whole process.
[Teresa] I think women are in more things. There are times when you see wonderful finished houses, but when it comes to living them, they are not practical. And that is, for me, one of the most important mistakes an architect can make.
[Beatriz] That and bad lighting. Bad lighting can kill a project.
Córdoba and Madrid, your hubs, are radically different cities. What inspires you about each of them? What inspires you about each of them?
[Beatriz] I can only tell you wonderful things about Córdoba, both for the city and the people. There they are more colorful and they give a lot of importance to the exterior, because of the climate; it would be almost impossible to see a wooden floor there.
[Teresa] And as far as decoration is concerned, it has very interesting peculiarities, such as the brazier: it is still used there and you can't have a house without a table with a brazier... unless it is for someone very modern and foreign to Córdoba.
