photographs: Asier Rua y Nuel Puig.
interior design project.
Living the kitchen as a great spectacle – that was precisely my proposal with this project for Franke, presented at the 2023 edition of ADN Forum by Lexus, held in Plaza de Colón, Madrid. From the very beginning, I knew I wanted to transform a shipping container into a unique stage where the kitchen would cease to be a purely functional space and instead become the living heart of the home—a place where design and innovation converse to move and surprise. It is not just about creating a kitchen, but about crafting an experience that invites people to live it with all their senses.
The proposal was born from a desire to break conventions without losing the elegance that I always pursue in my work. I chose an intense, pure black—bold and uncompromising—that envelops walls, ceilings, and floors. This darkness is not an obstacle, but a tool to focus attention on what truly matters: the beauty and precision of every Franke piece. Black wraps the space like velvet, generating an almost theatrical atmosphere of mystery and sophistication. Walking through this interior feels like total immersion, enhanced by Tarkett’s black carpet, which adds a sense of comfort and quiet that invites one to pause and enjoy the presence of design itself.
Within this seemingly austere, enclosed space, the kitchen comes to life with the Mythos collection, a selection that embodies technological innovation and functionality taken to their highest expression. Every element is designed to integrate seamlessly, ensuring intuitive and fluid use without barriers. The wine cabinet with its oak pull-out tray is one of those details I love—it speaks of an everyday ritual elevated to art, where storing and serving wine becomes a refined, intentional act. The hob with integrated extractor, almost invisible, plays with the idea of disappearing, allowing the kitchen to breathe without visual interruption. The steam oven, with its automatic cleaning system, invites new ways of cooking, turning technique into an ally rather than a complication.
But not everything is about cold technology and precision; warmth and soul materialise in every small detail. Lighting, designed in collaboration with Eflux, plays with indirect sources to draw shadows and enhance volumes, creating an enveloping atmosphere that changes with the time of day and intensity. The Elaia lamps by The Masie, with their elegant black aluminium finish, are sculptural pieces that subtly reinforce the space’s monochrome language. I like to think that light in a space should not only illuminate but also narrate—evoking emotion and accompanying the rhythm of daily life.
One of the aspects I most enjoyed about this project are the two central islands, both clad in black vegan leather. The touch and texture of this material bring a compelling contrast to the rest of the surfaces, reflecting a commitment to sustainability without sacrificing luxury or innovation. This plant-based leather adds a tactile dimension that invites closeness and touch—a way of living the kitchen through the senses. Yet the true revolution lies in the rotating capability of these islands: a patented 360º rotation system that allows each to move with a simple push. This mobility transforms the space into a mutable canvas, adapting to the needs of the moment, to company or to mood. It’s a choreography of volumes and movement that turns cooking into something dynamic, even playful—a design that does not remain static but evolves with the user.
At its core, this project is a celebration of the kitchen as a place of connection, creativity, and life. It is no coincidence that the installation includes special effects such as smoke and club-style lighting, turning the act of cooking into a show that transcends the purely functional. I am fascinated by how the kitchen can become a stage where everyday emotions intertwine—where technique and sensitivity meet to create something truly unique. And to do so in an open-air shipping container, right in the centre of Madrid, adds an urban and contemporary contrast that amplifies the experience.
It is not merely a kitchen; it is a statement about how we live today—how we relate to space and object, how technology and design can engage in dialogue to elevate the everyday. Every element is placed with intention, every material and texture tells a story designed to seduce and move. I wanted visitors not only to see a kitchen but to feel it as a living space, where functionality becomes spectacle and design becomes emotion.
This project is not just the result of an idea, but of a deep conviction: that design can transform daily life, that a kitchen need not be a hidden or purely utilitarian corner, but a dynamic centre of the home—an experience that connects, invites, and transforms. That was both my challenge and my pleasure: to create a space where technological innovation meets aesthetic sensitivity, crafting a place with soul that looks to the future without forgetting that the human and the emotional are always at the centre.
Thus, the kitchen becomes a living stage, a performance that invites participation—to share, to feel the pulse of life in every detail, in every turn of the island, in every play of light and shadow. This project is my way of expressing that interior architecture is not just about creating spaces, but about evoking emotion, building narratives, and ensuring that those who inhabit them truly feel at home.
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