HANGHAR HQ

A transformative workspace inspired by local car workshops, reimagined with steel and light.

The HANGHAR HQ in Madrid is a remarkable architectural exploration that draws inspiration from the neighborhood car workshop. This innovative space embraces its narrow, elongated proportions of 17.5 by 3.5 meters, transforming constraints into a methodical design approach. The project envelops the former workshop in an abstract, all-white shell, creating a neutral backdrop where subtle variations in depth, section, and light craft distinct spatial experiences.

Central to the design is the use of a single material system—6-mm thick steel plates assembled in place. These plates fold and structure the space, creating an architecture that is both solid and seemingly fragile, reminiscent of a scaled-up paper model. The intervals and profiles of these plates define spatial episodes along the length of the space while preserving the essential linear order of the original workshop.

The interior plan does not rely on partitions but instead gently modulates the corridor-like space into moments of intensity and pause. Within this linear sequence, areas for storage, meetings, work, cooking, and retreat emerge from shifts in thickness and proximity, fostering a continuum where programs coexist and evolve over time.

Light plays a crucial role as a structural element, developed in collaboration with Barcelona-based studio Rauric. Their work elevates industrial production processes to a conceptual and almost artisanal level, creating a space that is both a workplace and an interior landscape. This elongated room quietly reimagines the act of working.

Design Highlights

• Transformation of a car workshop into a modern workspace

• Use of 6-mm thick steel plates for structural and aesthetic purposes

• Linear spatial organization with zones for various functions

• Collaboration with Rauric for innovative lighting design

Key Facts