NZ10 Apartment by auba studio: Adaptive Reuse in Palma de Mallorca

The NZ10 Apartment by auba studio is a thoughtful example of adaptive reuse architecture, transforming a former 1980s bakery into a contemporary residential space in Palma de Mallorca. Designed by Santiago Martín-Borregón Navarro, the project responds to the growing demand for affordable housing solutions in dense urban environments.

Context and Design Approach

Located on the ground floor within a compact neighborhood, the project addresses urban constraints through smart spatial planning, natural lighting strategies, and interior-exterior integration. The renovation preserves the building’s original footprint while reimagining its function, creating a balance between privacy, openness, and environmental comfort.

Lighting and Spatial Continuity

A key design strategy focuses on enhancing natural light penetration. By removing partitions and opening the former kitchen area, the architects established a continuous visual and luminous flow between the front façade and the rear patio. Two full-width stained-glass openings further amplify daylight, improving spatial perception.

The backyard is reintroduced as a functional and aesthetic element, retaining the original tiling as a textured base for vegetation while contributing to acoustic comfort. A lightweight porch extension with a glazed roof enhances the transition between indoor and outdoor spaces without direct solar exposure.

Privacy and Urban Interface

To mediate between the street and the home, an intermediate buffer zone is created. This semi-private “batiport” incorporates inclined steel slats that filter views while allowing airflow and light. This strategy draws inspiration from contemporary urban solutions seen in cities like Barcelona, ensuring privacy without sacrificing openness.

Interior Landscape Integration

Nature plays a central role in shaping the spatial experience. A linear planter and integrated seating define the patio, while a larger planted area introduces a tree, reinforcing the connection between architecture and landscape. This biophilic design approach visually extends the interior, making outdoor spaces feel like an integral part of the home.

Functional Layout and Materiality

The apartment is organized through a linear fir wood furniture element, which divides the space into day and night zones while maintaining light continuity. The living area integrates the kitchen, dining, and lounge around a stainless-steel island, promoting openness and flexibility.

The private zone includes two bedrooms and bathrooms, efficiently arranged for functionality. The use of fir wood throughout the intervention highlights new additions while introducing warmth, texture, and material coherence to the interior.

The NZ10 Apartment demonstrates how adaptive reuse, sustainable design strategies, and spatial optimization can transform underutilized urban spaces into high-quality living environments. It stands as a model for urban regeneration, compact living, and contemporary residential design.

All photographs are works of  José Hevia, auba studio