As the name suggests, Minimal Studio is known for its explorations in minimalistic designs. A multidisciplinary studio, it engages in the creation of furniture items, interiors, renovation projects and even redesign of bikes! Despite the modest approach, the studio’s ability to bring out the character of every element and material is astounding. Each of their projects is unique, and they resonate with the location, requirements and design philosophy of the creators. Based in breath-taking locations across Spain, the projects offer incredible insights into the design strategies and style maneuvers opted by the Studio.
Here are 15 projects by the Studio:
1. GR13 “Road to Calvary” | Minimal Studio
Located in the heart of Pollenca, Spain, the design was proposed as a home renovation project in the year 2019. The designers endeavored to establish a connection with the exteriors to achieve fluidity in the perception of spaces. With its characteristic stone facade treatment and wooden casements, the subtle tones and textures of the exterior surfaces have been beautifully mimed into the interiors. The internal volumes have been treated to optimize light utilization, and existing materials have been re-utilized in crafting the interiors.
2. SJ XVIII House
The rehabilitation of this Pollentia home witnessed the celebration of antiquity, in terms of spatial elaboration and retention by the designers. The scars and imperfections on the faces of the stones have been retained to commemorate the ancient tales they hold. A flawless expression of connection, the interiors with their soft orange stone facades, white walls and selectively minimal wooden furniture blur the distinction between space and time itself.
3. Lledoner XXXII | Minimal Studio
Another home renovation project with a charismatic context is the Lledonoer XXXII.
The interior coatings and aesthetics impersonate the setting and character of the finishes of the ancient medieval walls in the exterior, to blend well with the rich historical context. The designers wished to offer more excellent spatial utility and ensure that every corner of the room was utilized. Attempts were made to unify the rooms in order to obtain continuous spaces. Sufficiently large windows were installed to ensure the admission of ample light into the interiors- thereby appreciating the existing quality of the volume.
4. Mar De Fondo
A serene white ceramic treatment secures the facades of the Mar De Fondo Building located on the seafront of Port of Alcúdia, Mallorca. The continuous tiling lends it a monolithic aspect and distinguishes the structure from its context. When the sun goes down, the outlines of the building are punctuated by rectilinear LED lighting running along with the bases of the projected slabs. An exemplary example of a structure that is a fusion of an uncomplicated yet commanding architecture, the Mar de Fondo stands resolute guarding its design integrity.
5. Welter Chair | Minimal Studio
Carved out of naturally aged French oak, the Welter chair is not only elegant and aesthetically pleasing but is also ergonomic. Its svelte and uniform structure with visual abstinence to central support or a backrest makes it sleek and minimal. The backrest is made out of a transparent plastic piece and is unnoticeable to the human eye. With an eccentric take on visual perception and minimalism, the chair is the optical embodiment of the word ‘light’.
6. Concrete Lovers
The designers’ primary intent while crafting this space was to brighten and liven up the rooms with light. A marriage of Brutal and Minimal styles, the aesthetics, materials and textures bring out the relaxed spirit of the space. Rectilinear shapes and solid colors dominate the design, adding a sense of command to the overall perception of the interiors. The predominant usage of white color in foregrounds such as in frames and furniture accentuates the visually appealing features and comes in contrast to a dark concrete background. A perfect play with shades of concrete, the project explores the very essence of the material.
7. Abra Cadabra Series
A geometric splendor, the Abra Cadabra Series, a set of two polyvalent chairs brings out and stresses different facets of minimalism. Elegant and sleek, the chairs are ostensibly durable and lightweight- rendering them attractive and functional. The striking black and white frames complement the soft French oak wood tone and highlight a well-balanced visual contrast. Just like the light and the dark, the two chairs are designed to represent the concept of these opposite entities visually.
8. Project GV13 The Rigor of Geometry | Minimal Studio
Located amidst the pinewood forests, on the island of Mallorca, this exotic villa was received as an interior design project. The rooms were naturally planned to optimize light and heat utilization, but integrally to facilitate visual transparency and connect with the exteriors. The studio’s idiosyncratic usage of rectilinear shapes, contrasting grounds and the love for marble, concrete and French Oakwood is retained and remarkably articulated in the project.
9. D3 Lounge Project
The D3 Lounge Project was designed to appreciate the rawness of every material and exposed concrete work. An effort has been made to respect the originality of every texture and element- while disregarding the superficiality of coatings. Exposed pipes and ducts were treated as aesthetic elements to emphasize the brutalist atmosphere of the space. The rectilinearity has been traded for angles, more precisely- the scalene triangle, to reiterate minimal geometry. Along with spectacular attention to detail, the designers have also considered modulating the ambiance and mood of the interiors based on the time of the day.
10. Design and gasoline | Minimal Studio
A carefully designed device to orchestrate the synergy between machine and man, the customization of this Harley and Davidson Motorcycle model is Minimal Studio’s ‘one of it’s kind’ experiment. A dark and matte finish is compounded with the rustic- mechanical persona of the heavy motorcycle. Personalized to perfection, the result is an ageless, splendid machine that is an epitome of minimalist and iconic design.
11. Enigma Series
Two wooden plates form the firm backrest and seat while the central support is lent by thick transparent plastic. Such is the simplicity of the Enigma Chair Series. The furniture piece, modeled in right angles, is realized with wooden slabs or thick sheets of high-density methacrylate. Crafted to perfection, its elegant composition intends to make a statement, regardless of the style of the room in which it is accommodated.
12. Design in Old Town
The old town of Alcudia, Mallorca conceals an unusual project that is a paradigm of urban-chic yet minimal interior styles. The internal spaces have been fragmented and linked through corridors that bring out the essence of typical small passages opening into the houses on the streets. With beautiful sandstone walls accentuating the internal volumes, the appropriation of simplistic furniture maximizes space for the loft apartment. Unexacting in nature but elaborate in their aesthetic expression, the modulation of materials to create a montage of a textural experience within the several volumes encompassed by the house.
13. Barber’s club, ‘The razorblade Project.’ | Minimal Studio
Embellished with metal meshes, the design of the Barber’s Club, fondly called ‘The Razorblade Project’ captures the Studio’s divergent take on minimal grandeur. The usage of reflective surfaces contrast with the local sandstone wall fittings and curate a visual treat for the viewers. The goal of the designers was to create an experience for the visitors that would remind them of the ethos of a traditional razor blade salon. With a blend of several elements, including metal sheets, exotic lights, marble and stone, a space that transcends the boundaries of time by blending the past and future has been formulated.
14. Chloe Chair
A beautiful angular piece of furniture, the Chloe Chair is appreciated for its simple construction and clean geometric manifestation. Its warm wooden texture is subtly teased by the brown colored leather cushion suspended by a piece of pure white marble. The chair endows a sense of visual comfort as a component of its aesthetic admiration.
15. Loewe Craft Prize | Minimal Studio
The Loewe Craft Prize was bestowed upon the Minimal Studio for its ingenious conception of a chair, called the ‘Golden Ratio Chair’. With the golden proportion rectangles carved on its back, the chair is a symbol of intense and proportionate geometrical disposition. Its seating is perfectly parallel to the ground and appears to be cantilevered from the wide back-piece. The central supporting member is made visually inevident by using a transparent centerpiece thereby drawing intrigue over its structural formulation.
References:
- https://www.minimalstudio.es/en/projects/
- https://archello.com/user/studio-minimal
- https://www.archdaily.com/office/minimal-studio
