Resa Chamartín: designing moments, not just spaces

15.09.2025 | Hospitality

The Resa Chamartín Hall of Residence in Madrid is based on a simple but powerful idea: students already have a home, and this project did not seek to replace it, but to surpass it. In other words, to become the setting for the best years of their lives.

Beyond meeting practical needs, the challenge was to ‘design the moments that happen in spaces’: encounters, conversations, group study, shared breaks... This is how Silka Barrio, who led the interior design of the facility, explains it. A philosophy that has permeated every decision and has also guided our contribution to the project.

Spaces that invite sharing

The student residence, located in the north of the Spanish capital, has a floor area of 11,300 square metres and 320 beds in single and double studios, all with their own kitchen. The common areas include study rooms, a gym, a dining room, a laundry room, an English courtyard, terraces, parking and a rooftop with a water and relaxation area.

It is precisely these common areas that have been designed as ‘the large living room of a large family’, where different activities coexist: someone reads in a corner while others play table football, some prepare snacks and others work as a team. To support this community life, our participation has focused on providing the spaces with versatile and functional collaborative furniture and, above all, with a language that does not impose itself, but rather accompanies.

This is how the common areas of the residence have been equipped with SLAM Chairs in different finishes, HANDY Stools in a varied colour palette, and different versions of our BACK Modular Seating. In this case, for the tables, the interior design team opted for three of our collections: FAST, FLY and MIX, all of which are ideal for collaborative spaces and capable of adapting to multiple configurations. In the study room, for example, as Silka explains, the organic and modular tables encourage teamwork and allow the space to be transformed according to the needs of the moment, fostering a dynamic and flexible atmosphere.

A place to create memories

Every detail of the project has been designed to promote well-being and community spirit. From the warm, indirect lighting that accompanies daily life to the rooftop swimming pool that connects residents with the Madrid sky, everything seeks to provoke experiences that transcend the functional.

Our contribution to Resa Chamartín has been designed to be consistent with this philosophy. Because, ultimately, it is not just the spaces that matter, but the memories that are created in them. And at Resa Chamartín, we are proud to have done our bit to help build those memories every day.