Before taking a closer look at this home in San Sebastian, in Spains Basque Country, heres a short history lesson. At the end of the 1950s, Spain was preparing to open its economy to increased international trade and foreign investment through an approved stabilization plan. Taxes increased, public spending was reined in, and price controls were largely abolished. The longed-for economic benefits soon followed. In the next decade, local industry would be strengthened, and the foundations of Spains current tourism sector were established. There was a boom in the construction of social and low-income housing, a response to an urgent need in San Sebastian and other parts of the country. The new projects included this home in a building erected in 1966.Most of the housing units built under the initiatives of the time followed some basic rules. The apartment that architect Ismael Medina Manzano recently renovated was typical of them. It consisted of three bedrooms with a tiny north-facing living room and it was intended for a married couple with two children. We have tried to give it a twist and adapt it to how we live now, in the 21st century, reorganizing the space and incorporating local materials, Medina Manzano, who divides his time between Spain and New York City, tells us. The renovation of this apartment, which is used as a vacation home by its owners, included some carefully considered updates.In the living room, handmade glazed ceramic tiles are used on one wall, Tingby side table with wheels by IKEA, Mayday table lamp by Flos, and Dioscuri wall lamp by Artemide.Another view of the same space, showing the curve of the wall covered with glazed ceramic tiles. The stool is made of reclaimed teak root. On the ceiling, the Teti lamps are by Vico Magistretti for Artemide.Foto: Hiperfocal.The home now has two bedrooms instead of three, a large entrance hall that serves as a dressing room, two bathrooms, and a common area with a kitchen and living space. It is organized around a curved wall clad in green glazed ceramic tiles. It is the main element and not only serves as a room divider but also provides storage solutions. Around it are placed a series of pantries, cupboards, shelves, cupboards, and even the bathrooms. It is an aesthetic moment with its reflective qualities and, at the same time, it provides a coherence to the space, explains the architect. It sits next to the mirrored kitchenanother playful addition to the homeand it is only interrupted by a doorway made of San Sebastian sandstone, a common material in the region. The doorway is a reflection on the geological layers of the city, nature, the raw material, and even The Comb of the Wind [a group of three monumental steel sculptures by the artist Chillida that sits on the edge of La Concha, the bay that San Sebastian is built around], the architect adds.In addition to the imposing central installation and the play of mirrors, the apartment is remarkable for its use of other unusual materials and innovative design solutions. In the center of the common area, a table that can easily be raised or lowered is made of reused Spanish granite and discarded pieces from local carpentry workshops. Daily life revolves around the table, which is capable of adapting to a variety of situations: a family dinner, moved to the side for a party, or serving as an impromptu office or worktop. The rest of the furniture, like the OMHU Teddy sofa bed and the mobile side tables and flowerpots on wheels, is similarly flexible.In front of the kitchen, which consists of a wall of mirrored cabinet fronts, a table incorporates a reused lacquered steel structure, a hydraulic piston, castors, and a granite top. The wooden chair is made of ash and the aluminum tube chairs were recovered from a local restaurant and restored. On the right, reflected in a mirror, is a Mayday table lamp by Flos.Most PopularCelebrity StyleJosephine Baker at Home: 15 Photos of the Legendary Entertainer in Her French ChateausBy Katie SchultzArchitecture + DesignThis Altadena Bungalow Is a Love Letter to Production Design and AmericanaBy Jessica RitzArchitecture + DesignInside an Alabama Home With Nature Views From Every RoomBy Elizabeth FazzareOn the left, a gray Teddy sofa from OMHU and a Tizio table lamp from Artemide. On the right, a Skalboda chair in black from IKEA. Above the kitchen, the Mayday lamp from Flos, designed by Konstanin Grcic.Another theme to the apartment is its use of vibrant and strong colors. I love to play with color. First by choosing one that sets the mood for the home and then others to compliment it, Medina says. From the green tiles of the living room to the electric blue ones used in one of the bathrooms or the pristine white ones in the other, bold colors play a leading role in this home. There is a false belief among many that creating a cohesive design is about using certain colors and materials, but it has more to do with the process behind the choices, Medina says when asked about some of the design decisions. This apartment is integrated into the city and its environment thanks to the type of stone that was used and references that speak to the areas industrial past. Colors can be responses to the culture of the region. It is about going beyond the surface.A good example of how Medina consciously places the home in the context of the city is the kitchen, which was already mentioned as a focal point of the home thanks to its unusual, mirrored cabinets. When you look out the window, you can see a footbridge crossing over the railway tracks in the distance. Its right at eye level. The mirrors create an illusion where you can see yourself too, amid the reflections of nearby buildings. It is sort of an architectural wink, he notes with an amused look. This private joke shared only by the architect and the ownersand now AD readers toosums up the inspired spirit of the project, as well as the contagious vibrancy of contemporary San Sebastian.This home tour was originally published by AD Spain. It was translated by John Newton.Most PopularCelebrity StyleJosephine Baker at Home: 15 Photos of the Legendary Entertainer in Her French ChateausBy Katie SchultzArchitecture + DesignThis Altadena Bungalow Is a Love Letter to Production Design and AmericanaBy Jessica RitzArchitecture + DesignInside an Alabama Home With Nature Views From Every RoomBy Elizabeth FazzareView of the back of the curved wall. A sandstone doorway separates the two rooms as if it were a witness to the geological passage of time in the area.The central element of this 861-square-foot apartment is a curved wall of glazed ceramic tiles interrupted by a portal of San Sebastian sandstonea stone commonly used in the region.Ismael Medina Manzano, who divides his time between New York City and Madrid, is seen here in front of the mirrored kitchen.One bathroom is covered in royal blue pool tiles.The second bathroom is also covered in pool tiles, though in white.