The Ruzafa neighborhood of Valencia has long attracted attractive studios to its walking streets, mixed-use blocks and neighborhood energy. At number 21 Sornells Street—the pedestrian route that connects between the Ruzafa Market and the surrounding residential fabric—architecture and interior design practice Paloma Bau and creative studio TOT, led by designer Ausiàs Pérez, have jointly transformed a former commercial unit into Sornells 21: a 170sqm workspace shared by the professional community and their creative teams designed by their professional teams.
Collaboration developed naturally. Pérez’s return to Valencia coincides with Paloma Bau’s search for a new studio, and the resulting space is more of a strategic partnership than a true exploration of intellectual coexistence. TOT led the development of the concept; Paloma Bau managed its architecture. The section tells: TOT’s projection, the sensitivity of the brand’s culture meets Paloma Bau’s precision in translating ideas into geometry, matter and details.
Cabinet Interactive Space in Valencia by Masquespacio.
The palette of the future collides with the great vibes of the 70s in Valencia, in this vibrant and unconventional modern workplace.
The driving concept is a reinterpretation—not a literal recreation—of three everyday urban experiences from Tokyo: the ceramic-tiled street, the izakaya bar, and the onsen. The arrival sequence sets the tone quickly. White 10×10 ceramic tiles wrap the entryway in a sensuous manner borrowed directly from Tokyo’s urban facades, while a large ceiling mirror replicates the space and creates a disorienting feeling within—are you inside or still on the street? A solid white concrete bench supports this moment and presents one of the recurring elements of the project.
Beyond that border, the U-shaped plan arranges around a 7.2-meter table turned in black San Vicente stone with a white carved block leg – a statement piece that can seat almost 20 people and rotates between a work table, a dining area, a presentation area or a tasting bar. Running above it, a bespoke longitudinal luminaire inspired by Noren—the fabric curtains that mark the thresholds of Japanese taverns—creates a warm horizontal rhythm throughout the space.
The logic of the izakaya is extended wit wit: the kitchen sits outside the bar, a flexible conference. The mirror placed opposite shows the chef back into the space, symbolically resolving the contradiction. It’s a kind of quiet cognitive play that runs throughout the project—subtle transformations that produce unexpected but coherent spatial moments.
Inside IF Architecture’s Compact Collingwood Studio Where Every Detail Works Double.
Bold color, wrought iron, and creative techniques define a work space where nothing is ordinary—from double-sided curtains inspired by The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson to teardrop-shaped furniture that subtly directs movement.
The onsen-inspired meeting room, accessed by a hidden staircase inside the kitchen panel, is the project’s theatrical move. The pink tile, Klein blue metalwork, shower-head lights and neon-painted sky—representing the classic Mount Fuji—make it feel otherworldly against the studio’s existing restraint. The adjacent deep red bathrooms push the contrast further.
In terms of material, the lightness of microcement flooring includes all sequences; the sprayed cellulose ceiling handles the acoustics while leaving the services and curtain rods exposed. All modern furniture is made by Valencia company Lebrel Furniture, lit by Arkoslight and decorative rice paper lamps that provide warmth. The result is a space that can be transformed from the studio to the exhibition, from the meeting to the dinner, without removing the wall.
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[Images courtesy of Paloma Bau Studio. Photography by David Zarzoso.]