In Bilbao, Spain’s Isozaki Towers, twin residential buildings designed by Arata Isozaki, the first floor offers a live look at Tabula Studio’s vibrant creativity. The architecture and interiors office recently set up shop in the tower, taking the place of a former consultancy office. Every surface offers a blank canvas for the studio to showcase its talents. As the new office space attests, the studio wields materially rich components and striking kitchen design in tandem.
The almost 302-square-foot space (92 square meters) was opened up from a compartmentalized floorplan. Five workstations fill the bulk of the space. A meeting room, separated by glass partitions, continues the open flow while offering privacy.
The firm’s residential portfolio can be felt right away: Paneling frames the entrance hall, creating a figurative “house.” The glossy lacquered surface paints a contrasting backdrop for the bright yellow Ekstrem chair, designed by Terje Ekstrøm for Varier. The other side of the wall bursts with botanical patterns, covered in a textile by Arte.
The funky design gives way to even more joy. Beyond the entry is the kitchen, which doubles as a showroom and exhibition of Logos Scoop, a Spain-based kitchen and bath manufacturer that Tabula Studio distributes. The studio is also a distributor of Pando appliances. Both the Logo’s XP model and Pando appliance make up the kitchen, clad in lacquer and walnut root wood. The island is finished in quartzite worktops from Levantina Group and Cosentino. Two columns run through the island, though they aren’t spared from the studio’s textural treatment: Galvanized sheet metal surrounds the pillars with fluting.
The materially rich approach reflects Tabula’s strengths and design offerings to new and potential clients. An armature of the practice, Tubulab, is dedicated to studying materials and construction and sharing that knowledge. It makes sense then that a bevy of finishes continue throughout the workplace. The bold red floor is one such example. It was applied by Cement Design who helped achieve a continuous look.
Two bathrooms make up the office, each offering distinct color and finishes. Behind green-tiled walls lies the first, which is noticeably not green. Instead, pink cement adorns the walls and red marble makes up the flooring, skirting, and washbasin base. A circular mirror is embedded within the plastered wall.
The other bathroom prioritizes blue. Silver marble makes up the floors while a blue washbasin, framed by two pillars paneled in chestnut wood, anchor the space.
The office offers a live portfolio for the studio’s material and construction know-how. Finished with fun and custom furniture, the project enlivens the typical architecture workspace.