For fifteen years, our studio operated out of a 1930s house in Providencia, which we shared with my siblings. Over time, as our practice grew during a period of prosperity, the space became inadequate. The desire to work within walking distance of home, combined with repeated break-ins, prompted a two-year search across various neighborhoods for a permanent location.
In late 2014, we came across an old law office for sale—an entire fourth floor of a 1956 building designed and built by architects Gustavo Kreft and Rodrigo de Ferrari. With 200 m² of interior space and a 12-meter frontage facing the Parque Forestal, the property offered a privileged view above the treetops, with San Cristóbal Hill as a backdrop, excellent cross-ventilation, and a generous floor-to-ceiling height of 2.72 meters. These features made the purchase an easy decision. Added to this was the ideal location—six minutes on foot from home and four from the university where I teach daily.
The remodeling strategy focused on exposing the raw structural framework and removing most of the internal partitions to create open, interconnected spaces. In select areas, partitions were replaced with lacquered shelving units that stop short of the ceiling, enhancing spatial continuity and natural light flow.
A single flooring material was chosen throughout: polished travertine marble with a vein-cut finish, laid in a staggered pattern with 30 × 60 cm tiles. All walls were painted white to optimize the reflection of LED lighting, which is integrated discreetly into recessed coves and suspended linear fixtures. The existing windows were replaced with natural anodized aluminum frames and double-glazed units.
Project: Albert Tidy Arquitectos – Office Renovation
Client: Self-Commissioned
Architect: Albert Tidy
Collaborators: Juan Manuel Cadenaso, Sebastián Cruz
Location: Merced 156, 4th Floor, Santiago Centro, Santiago, Chile
Area: 206 m²
Construction: Albert Tidy
Materiality: White Plaster Finishes, Polished Travertine Marble Flooring
Year of Completion: 2015
Photography: Pablo Casals