Santander. Cantabria

This luxury home is located in an attic that has one of the most spectacular views of the Bay of Santander. The original distribution of the apartment was very compartmentalized and turned towards the interior, so that the potential of the house was not perceived.

With this renovation a complete modification of the interior layout was made with the aim of turning the main rooms to the spectacular south terrace and create a unique panoramic view of the bay. The minimalist design, combining white with cream colors in a straight and simple line of furniture, gets central attention in the views.

The boundary between inside and outside disappears thanks to a large sliding door that is hidden behind the kitchen unit. This indoor-outdoor continuity is enhanced by a unitary treatment of floors and wall coverings.

The lighting scenes, controlled by a domotic system, allow the creation of different atmospheres depending on the use and mood of the occupants. The interior lighting is provided by indirect lighting integrated into the furniture. In the case of the terrace, a nautical atmosphere is evoked by lighting directed at the technological wood decking on the floor.

MOAH Architects. Architecture and interior design studio

Sarón. Santa María de Cayón. Cantabria

The integral reform of the ground floor of a single-family house that had been used as a garage and storage room. The objective was to take advantage of this underused space to create a new independent dwelling.

One of the main intentions was to create a house that would be very permeable to the garden and would allow a very direct use of the outdoor space. This would also allow vegetation to be introduced into the interior and enhance the feeling of spaciousness. To this end, a single living-kitchen-dining room space was created in which large windows open onto the main orientations. The windows expand the space, incorporating the porches and outdoor terraces. This multi-purpose space is divided into different atmospheres by means of the furniture and lighting.

Another challenge was to maintain the independence between the two dwellings, for which separate access routes are organised and screened by vegetation to allow for privacy.

The exterior image maintains the original character of the house, respectfully combining the three predominant materials: limestone, painted mortar and wood. The interior combines a minimalist white background with the use of oak wood in the floors and furniture, which gives it warmth. Accessories and textiles are in pastel turquoise, which harmonises with the indoor plants and the omnipresent outdoor vegetation.

In the lighting, preference is given to indirect lights that are integrated into the slats, coffered ceilings and furniture.

MOAH Architects. Architecture and interior design studio

Santander. Cantabria

In this emblematic building of Santander we chose to reform it in light tones, so that the decoration of the house does not compete with the spectacular southern views that the building has to the bay of Santander.

A single living-dining-kitchen area makes up the day area of the house, totally independent from the night area, and is designed as a large meeting space in this holiday home. The kitchen is integrated into the living space, and from it you can enjoy views of the bay. Large mirrors expand the space and multiply the light that this room has.

As for the sleeping area, it has been designed searching the accommodation of as many guests as possible: innovations in the furniture such as folding bunk beds or custom-made beds make it possible. In short, a holiday apartment in the center, functional and bright to enjoy the city of Santander.

MOAH Architects. Architecture and interior design studio

Santander. Cantabria

The renovated house in placed in a building from the 80s, located at the top of the emblematic street of Menéndez Pelayo in Santander, overlooking the Bay to the south.

In the reform, the house is completely distributed, orienting the living room, dining room and kitchen towards the views and the south terrace. Living room and kitchen are related in a semi-permeable way through a piece of furniture that compartmentalizes the space and gives service to both spaces. The kitchen has the possibility of independence from noise and odors through large glass sliding doors. The clean and minimalist interior design, dominated by white walls and furniture, provides a calm atmosphere.

The hallway opens onto the living room to capture natural light, but is visually independent through a set of white lacquered wooden slats. The bedrooms, on the other hand, are totally independent from the day area and are oriented to the east to capture the morning light. The master bedroom is given a suite character maximizing the feeling of spaciousness through a permeable relationship with terrace, dressing room and bathroom. The latter introduces light from the east and a view of the Immaculata Parish tower.

In addition to the functional and aesthetic change, the renovation seeks to improve the energy efficiency of the house, incorporating a series of measures to reduce consumption and improve comfort (insulation, underfloor heating, heat recovery ...), which brings the house closer to the current standards of "passive house".

MOAH Architects. Architecture and interior design studio

Santander. Cantabria

This is an integral renovation in an apartment on Avenida Cantabria, in the popular neighborhood of Valdenoja, in Santander. One of the main objectives has been to provide the house with a large number of bedrooms and bathrooms without losing the spaciousness that the house originally had. To achieve this, the color white and minimalist lines were used as the backbone of the whole renovation.

On the other hand, the views, the terraces and the large windows that the house has to the south, makes the relationship space of living-dining-kitchen towards this orientation, changing the original location of the kitchen and leaving the more private rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms and study to the north. The kitchen is related to the living-dining room through windows that let in light and expand the space, but without establishing a direct view with the kitchen.

One of the requirements is to get a lot of storage space, which is achieved with the design of custom furniture in all rooms even in bathrooms, where the mirrors have hidden cabinets.

The whole house is illuminated with indirect lights hidden in the furniture, which can be regulated in intensity, achieving different environments adapted to every moment of the day.

MOAH Architects. Architecture and interior design studio

Santander. Cantabria

The property is located in the Calle Alta in Santander, in an emblematic building, as it is one of the oldest buildings that were preserved after the fire that devastated the capital in the middle of the 20th century. It is a wooden building with an ashlar façade that still conserves the original coat of arms of the family that promoted it.

It is an elongated house between party walls that only has openings towards the main street to the south and towards an interior courtyard to the north. The house was originally very compartmentalised, with several windowless alcoves. This distribution, together with the darkness of the original finishes, made it feel like a gloomy dwelling. On the other hand, there were structural problems in the floors and ceilings, with unevenness of up to 20 cm from one point to another.

The objectives of the renovation were: to achieve maximum spatial amplitude and make the most of natural light; to conserve part of the historic character of the house; and to introduce high standards of comfort and energy efficiency.

To achieve maximum space and light in the day area, the kitchen, living room and dining room are grouped together on the south façade, facing the main street. The arrangement of sliding glass doors between the kitchen and living-dining room creates a semi-permeable relationship that expands the space in both directions.

The routes are organised around a longitudinal axis that introduces natural light and visuals into the heart of the home. At the northern end of the axis is an open multi-purpose space that can be closed off and given privacy by the deployment of white lacquered sliding panels.

Walls, ceilings and floors are stained white to allow natural light to reflect off them and reach the farthest spaces. The interior bathrooms receive natural light through windows and glass doors that open onto the kitchen and master bedroom.

At night, the house is illuminated with indirect lighting integrated into the furniture and ceilings, seeking a calm atmosphere and visual comfort.

The house is sprinkled with small nods to the past: wooden shutters are maintained, glass doors are designed with palillerie, pre-existing niches are respected or the ashlar stone is left visible at strategic points.

In addition to spatial comfort, high thermal comfort and air quality are achieved with minimum energy consumption. This is achieved by using passive house strategies such as thermal insulation in the façade and floor, installation of a heat recovery system, plasma hood with recirculation and underfloor heating.

MOAH Architects. Architecture and interior design studio

Somo. Ribamontán al Mar. Cantabria

This is a complete renovation of a semi-basement in a detached house in Somo, Cantabria. We converted a dark and unused space in a bright place for cinema, games and recreation. All using a design of clean and bright lines in which wood takes on a special role.

One of the challenges of the renovation was to provide the house with a direct exit from it to the pool area located at basement level. To this end, new windows were opened, from which natural light is also provided to the room.

A disused courtyard is also integrated into the renovation: the design of wooden steps and the opening of a large glass opening in the facade provide the desired interior-exterior continuity.

In the interior, artificial lighting is of vital importance: indirect lighting in recesses and hidden behind the furniture adds warmth to the atmosphere. From the point of view of thermal comfort, an indoor gas fireplace is installed to preside over and heat the entire space.

MOAH Architects. Architecture and interior design studio