Carmencita Film Lab | Paloma Bau Studio

A 100% analog immersive experience inspired by the camera obscura, in the first premises of the Carmencita film lab photo development company in Madrid. This is the second project for the brand after opening its first establishment in Valencia in 2015.

Carmencita film lab Madrid is inspired by one of the ancient devices that led to the development of photography: Richter's camera obscura.

This device works when, in a dark room, natural light is allowed to pass through a small hole, forming an inverted image of what is happening outside on the opposite wall.

Conceptually, the space consists of an entrance hole that projects light onto an inner perimeter skin. This takes the form of a large concave lens at the entrance to the premises, made of mirror, which acts as an entrance hole for light and distorts the image in the same way as it is distorted in a camera obscura.

Inside, a perimeter skin made of fabric represents the element onto which the exterior image was projected, only in this case, it projects images developed by the company.

This idea coexists with the industrialization and assembly line work of the current development process, a process that the firm applies systematically, and for which pieces of furniture were developed inspired by assembly line work and the concatenation of processes, perfectly meshed. These pieces, made of iroko wood, lacquered and microcement, overlap and connect, allowing them to be moved and rotated on an axis, according to the needs of the establishment, and adapt to the topography of the premises by taking on different functions.

The premises have a small basement, accessed through a small opening in the floor, which perfectly makes you feel like you are inside a darkroom, but which conceals a small gallery with selected works.

The design of the space not only sought to meet the basic needs of storage, exhibition, and customer service, but also aimed to create a comprehensive and immersive experience for its users. That is why, behind the large “lens” of the entrance, there is a photo booth, to complete the 100% analog experience.

In terms of materiality, the brand identity eschews embellishments and decorations. In pursuit of this sobriety and timelessness, raw and natural materials were chosen, some of which had already been used in the first establishment, but with a reinterpretation of their applications.

 Iroko wood, stone, jute, 100% cotton fabric, and “negative” colors make up the establishment's palette of materials.

 All the furniture has been designed specifically for this purpose and, as in the other establishments, has been made by Lebrel Furniture. The furniture is complemented by some classic design pieces and natural vegetation.