Casa del Berro

Period Restoration on the Outside, Contemporary Design Within

The architectural team of Jiménez and Linares has returned this 1920s-era residence’s façade to its original, clean-lined splendor, and created a sundrenched contemporary residence within. Their thoughtful interior update favors light wood, cool stone, and smooth plaster, with a notable, laser-cut stairwell screen as the home’s central focal point and a leafy courtyard garden to add to its allure.

Named for its location in Madrid’s historic Fuente del Berro quarter, this fully restored 1920s family home once housed sculptor Jorge Oteiza. The award-winning architectural team behind the home’s elegant update started their renovation by searching the city’s archives, where they discovered the residence’s original blueprints.

Focusing their restoration on returning the home to its original identity, Elena Jiménez and Abelardo Linares peeled back years of modifications to the structure that had deteriorated over time, and returned the building’s exterior to its early design—a sturdy, white façade lined with wide windows and topped by a Roman-styled roof. A lush Mediterranean garden was part of the home’s original design, and the duo also restored its leafy private courtyard, reviving the rare green oasis in downtown Madrid.

Originally, the home was part of a neighborhood created to be a “garden city” for local artisans. The residences now enjoy historical protection by the city of Madrid, and returning the residences to their original form is the city’s goal. Construction permits are issued only for the homes’ preservation, and Casa del Berro’s restoration has been featured in AD Magazine, Architecture Platform, Living Architecture, Leibel and Arch Daily.

The structure’s centerpiece is its airy staircase, a open, contemporary space that connects the home’s multiple levels. The residence includes a semi-basement-styled kitchen, dining and living room floor, the ground/entry level with its foyer, library and lounge, one upper level floor with bedrooms, and another with a study, guest suite and view overlooking the neighborhood’s tree canopy. 

Soaring 18 feet, the central staircase is the home’s leading design feature. A stainless steel latticework that’s been laser cut in the form of palm leaves and painted white, the cut-out partition allows for the play of natural light and casts decorative shadows across the home’s smooth tile and wood floors. It also serves as an open-air transition between the home’s many levels.

The architects describe the materials they used in the home’s interior as the room’s protagonists and include Dove stone from a quarry in Seville, granite, oak, and ceramics from Grenada. The interior ambiance is serene and contemporary, with bright, whitewashed ceilings, sleek stone, tile and wood floors, luxurious bathrooms, and the open, suspended-style staircase, all made more vivid by an abundance of natural light and clean-lined, soft-hued furnishings.

AROUND

Located in the Salamanca neighborhood, this vacation home rental in Madrid was a part of the original Fuente del Berro development of the 1920s. The neighborhood was conceived as a garden city and is located next to the Quinta de la Fuente del Berro park. The vast green space covers 13 wooded hectares and features landscaped formal gardens, waterfalls, and public art, as well as manicured pathways for walking and jogging, and open meadows for recreation. 

The leafy quarter is within the larger neighborhood of Salamanca in downtown Madrid, known for its grand boulevards and upscale glamour. The “Golden Mile” in the area features luxury brand boutiques, and well-heeled locals shop at Platea Madrid, a gourmet food market in a converted theatre. The neighborhood also has several notable museums, including the National Archeological Museum and the Lázaro Galdiano Museum, with a collection that includes works by Goya.

LOCATION

Madrid, Spain. Nearest airport: Madrid

BEST TIME TO VISIT: This vacation home rental in Madrid is a year-round destination, with best weather in spring or fall.