Architecture firm Tabula Studio has turned its own workspace in Bilbao into a vivid showroom where bright red floors meet corrugated-metal pillars and hidden bathroom doors. The first-floor office, carved out of a former consultancy in the city’s Ensanche district, now doubles as a catalog of local finishes and fixtures that the studio distributes.
Founder Nerea Apraiz kept the tall ceilings and French windows of the 20th-century building but coated nearly every inch of the main floor in a bold vermillion epoxy. The color spreads into a glass-walled meeting room anchored by an irregular triangular table, creating what Apraiz calls “pure energy under your feet.”
A three-meter kitchen island anchors the open plan, flanked by two galvanized pillars—one structural, the other a purely decorative trompe l’oeil meant to amuse visitors who look twice. Around the corner, deep-green glazed tiles conceal the restrooms, their sinks and faucets cycling through samples from partner brands Logos Kitchens and Pando.
Apraiz says the playful mix of textures and hues mirrors the firm’s creative philosophy: no labels, no rules, just tailored solutions for every client. The office’s leaf-patterned textile wall and unexpected pops of color invite both staff and clients to test materials firsthand. “It’s a living place where architecture is experienced, not just conceived,” she explains.
