Casa Benigno: living with intention in 68 square meters

Kresta Design reorganizes the layout of an old apartment to gain light and continuity in everyday life.

A house plan is not just a technical drawing. It's the way a house organizes the life that happens within its walls. It changes when our routines change, when families evolve, when budgets are tighter, or when work comes into the home.

Casa Benigno, by Kresta Design, was born precisely from that idea: to update a 1960s apartment without erasing its original logic, but adapting it to the way we live today.

In a neighborhood of exposed brick and shaded terraces, this 68 square meter apartment preserves the virtues of the functional architecture of its time: three open facades, cross ventilation and a constant entry of light.

These buildings were designed to respond quickly to urban growth. Their floors were compartmentalized, each room had a specific function, and domestic organization followed very defined hierarchies.

But the life they were designed for is no longer the same.

From compartmentalization to connection
In the 1950s and 60s, urban housing in Spain reflected a specific social model: large families, clearly defined roles, and distinct domestic routines. The kitchen was an isolated workspace, the living room was reserved for receiving guests, and hallways served to distribute and separate spaces. The floor plan was a collection of separate rooms.

This model worked for a structured and formal life, but today, we spend more time at home, share more moments, and activities no longer happen in isolation. Cooking takes place while someone works, conversations happen around the table, in the living room, or on the island. With this more flexible coexistence, the strict separation of spaces no longer makes sense.
Casa Benigno started with a fragmented floor plan full of corridors. The redesign eliminated this logic without sacrificing the building's essence. Instead of adding partitions, the project organized, structured, and zoned the space, transforming it from a succession of rooms into a connected environment.
The kitchen is no longer confined to a separate room. It opens up to the main space and becomes part of the living and dining area. From the island, you can converse, see what's happening in the rest of the house, and share the same atmosphere.
This change reflects a very concrete reality: the kitchen is no longer just a place to prepare food. It's where people talk, work, entertain friends, or spend time together. It has ceased to be a service space and has become the center of daily life.
At the same time, opening up the space doesn't mean everything will be left in disarray. It's not just about tearing down walls, but about better organizing what happens inside.
Here, the large central piece of furniture fulfills that function. It acts as a boundary without being enclosed, marking pathways and separating the different areas without the need for walls. Natural light can pass through the interior unobstructed, while the space maintains a clear structure.

The heart of the home is the kitchen, designed as a natural extension of the living-dining room, and features fronts in LAMINATE Sable and Metal, two finishes that bring luminosity and reflect the sober and contemporary character of the rest of the project.

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Casa Benigno, as the project has been named, is an example of how a precise, contained and luminous renovation can transform a modest home into a space with intention.

Project:

Kresta Design

Photographies:

German Saiz