In this article Marcos Parga, director of the Madrid-based office MAPAA, presents an exploratory essay on the possibilities of living in developed urban centers, taking as a case study a site between two existing party walls in Madrid. The objective of MAPAA's exercise is to seek ways to enjoy the benefits of rural life, such as close contact with nature, in the city.

Cortesía de MAPAA

In this article Marcos Parga, director of the Madrid-based office MAPAA, presents an exploratory essay on the possibilities of living in developed urban centers, taking as a case study a site between two existing party walls in Madrid. The objective of MAPAA's exercise is to seek ways to enjoy the benefits of rural life, such as close contact with nature, in the city.
Cortesía de MAPAA

What type of home do we deserve"
Many urbanites asking this question would think that it is not too much to ask new residential architecture to give us the chance to live in the city while enjoying some of the advantages of the idealized rural environment—but without renouncing the density and effervescence of the big cities that we like so much. However, our everyday reality invariably shows us the opposite, which is why we decided to open up the design process for indeterminacy and participation.

Cortesía de MAPAA

The RRURBAN (Really RURAL and URBAN) project emerges as a possible response to this aspirati...