MATRIA HOUSE | Laura Ortín Arquitectura

We rarely stop to think about how we might live as we grow older. Most of the people who commission us to design their homes are between their thirties and fifties, moments in life when a degree of personal and financial stability often gives rise to a new chapter, and with it, a new home.
 
This project, however, was different.
 
After a ten-year pause, and with a true gem in her hands, our client, now retired, decided to resume the renovation of this house in Murcia’s historic quarter. She was not simply looking to refurbish a property; she was creating the setting for a new stage of life. A home to enjoy in the present, but one that would continue to support her in the years ahead with the same sense of comfort, independence and wellbeing.
 
The house revealed itself to us as a blank canvas, an empty shell where almost anything seemed possible. Yet the spatial requirements of the brief brought a number of challenges: how to ensure natural light reached every room, and how to avoid a layout dependent on long corridors and purely transitional spaces.
 
The building dates from 1930 and stands within a protected heritage setting. A previous demolition had stripped away much of its original character, leaving little trace of what once existed. Against this backdrop, our aim was to create an unexpected spatial arrangement, one capable of meeting practical needs without sacrificing openness, daylight or flexibility.
The kitchen was positioned beside the internal courtyard, where southern light fills the room for much of the day. We liked the idea of that first morning coffee enjoyed in the sunshine. Placing it close to the entrance also meant the pantry would be within easy reach when returning home with shopping, a small but meaningful gesture towards everyday comfort.
 
The bedrooms are arranged around the central space in a sequence reminiscent of an enfilade, allowing rooms to open or close depending on use, privacy or temperature. A series of symmetrical sliding doors links the spaces together and, when fully opened, creates generous openings and long sightlines that enhance the perception of space throughout the home.
The living room was conceived as a true sitting room: a place of retreat at the end of the day. Somewhere to settle as evening falls, to sit by the window with a good book, or simply unwind with a favourite television series.
 
Although designed for one person, we were always moved by our client's desire to continue gathering her family around a table. The dining room naturally became the heart of the house. But this raised an important question: how could natural light be brought into its centre?
The answer was to create a kind of internal lantern. The enclosure surrounding the adjacent bathroom is partially translucent, allowing light to filter through the space and reach the dining area, bringing brightness and depth to a part of the home that might otherwise have remained enclosed and dim.
 
From the outset, we understood that the house needed not only to respond to its owner's present-day needs, but also to accommodate whatever changes time might bring. The goal was not to design an adapted home, but a prepared one.
 
Many of the project's decisions were therefore guided by the desire to support long-term independence and wellbeing. Cupboard and kitchen doors were designed on a smaller scale, making them lighter and easier to handle. The sliding doors incorporate a pulley system to ensure smooth, effortless movement. All light fittings use readily replaceable bulbs, allowing routine maintenance to remain simple and accessible. The bathrooms include level-access showers and a Japanese toilet, while the home itself is intuitive to navigate, comfortable to move through and free from unnecessary obstacles.
 
This project reaffirmed something we strongly believe: when we design with the future in mind, we ultimately design better for everyone. Independence, spatial clarity, ease of use, natural light and comfort are not qualities that belong solely to later life. They are qualities that improve daily life for people of every age and at every stage.
 
Ultimately, designing for people means designing for wellbeing, both now and in the future.