Cruda House: Minimalist Renovation in Cartagena by MEII ESTUDIO

Cruda House, designed by MEII ESTUDIO, is a minimalist renovation in Cartagena that transforms a 1960s neighborhood home into a timeless architectural statement. With a surface area of 70 m², the project carefully balances preservation and intervention, revealing how contemporary design can honor tradition while enhancing spatial quality.

A Dialogue Between Past and Present

At the heart of the renovation, the project distinguishes two architectural layers: a renovated base of floors and wall coverings, and an untouched upper section that remains raw, authentic, and bare. This coexistence of the new and the existing creates a continuous narrative where technical precision and artisanal traces merge, allowing the home to embody different eras simultaneously.

Minimal Intervention, Maximum Impact

Rather than completely transforming the house, MEII ESTUDIO adopts a strategy of minimalist intervention. By refining and reactivating the existing structure, the design emphasizes the legacy of anonymous traditional typologies. The project highlights memory as an active architectural tool, turning the preserved layers of the building into part of the lived experience.

Material Narrative and Spatial Quality

The renovation does not conceal imperfections. Instead, it integrates marks, scars, and irregularities into the fabric of the home, treating them as part of its evolving story. Through precise design gestures, the architects achieve significant spatial improvements: increased ceiling height, greater volume, amplified natural light, and a continuous, flexible interior. The result is a serene living environment where wood, light, and openness define the atmosphere.

Cruda House exemplifies the power of minimalist renovation in Cartagena, where history and modernity coexist within one unified architectural expression. MEII ESTUDIO demonstrates that repairing, refining, and embracing memory can create spaces that are both contemporary and timeless, offering a model for sustainable and respectful urban renewal.

All Photographs are works of  Hiperfocal