- Project: Domehome Expansion
- Architect: EME157
- Location: Spain, Madrid
- Year: 2023
- Area: 180 m2
- Photography: Luis Asín
In Aravaca, Madrid, the Domehome Expansion by EME157 demonstrates how bold architectural interventions can transform family homes into multi-generational residences. Completed in 2023, this 1,937-square-foot project crowns a brick house with a lightweight, cork-clad dome, creating an independent apartment for the owners’ son while preserving the home’s original character.
A New Crown for a Brick House
The central design challenge was how to add an additional floor to the existing brick structure—already softened by abundant vegetation—without overwhelming it. The architects chose a domed shape that achieves two goals simultaneously:
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Inside: provides generous height and spatial dignity.
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Outside: reduces the perception of height, maintaining harmony with the cubic forms of the existing house.
To further distinguish the new addition, cork cladding was chosen. Lightweight, insulating, and texturally distinct, cork contrasts with the solidity of brick while complementing its earthy tones. The zinc vault adds a refined finish, emphasizing the dome’s contemporary expression.
Interior Spatial Strategy
The expansion transforms the former terrace into a full independent apartment:
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Ground floor (538 sf / 50 m²): includes an entryway, bedroom, and bathroom.
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Upper floor (1,399 sf / 130 m²): divided into public and private zones.
The private area features a bedroom and bathroom, while the public area integrates kitchen, dining, and living into an open-plan space with large north-facing windows. A preserved circular skylight, once used to illuminate the stairwell, now floods the new apartment with natural light.
Material Palette: Cold Meets Warm
The interior is defined by a minimal palette of contrasting materials:
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Mortar floors for a raw, grounded feel.
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Polished stainless steel for kitchen countertops and bathroom fixtures.
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Plywood and linoleum for furniture, cabinetry, and doors, adding warmth and tactility.
Exposed concrete beams and pillars from the original structure meet slender, sky-blue steel columns in the new addition—blending seamlessly with the sky and views beyond.
Architecture of Flexibility and Identity
The Domehome Expansion balances innovation with sensitivity to context. It is light yet solid, distinct yet integrated, transforming a family home into a flexible multi-generational dwelling while celebrating material honesty and spatial ingenuity.
