On a quiet street in the Barrio de Cortes, in the historic heart of Madrid, Casa Cortes is set within a building dating from 1854. Just moments from the city’s “Museum Mile”, Gran Vía and Calle Alcalá, the apartment combines a central location with a sense of calm that is rarely found in this part of the city.

The property spans 338 m² and occupies the first floor of a classic Madrid building. Balconies open onto both the street and interior patios, allowing light to enter from multiple orientations and creating a connection between the apartment and the layered urban fabric that surrounds it.

Originally used as a professional office, the apartment was fully reimagined in 2020 as a private residence. The transformation is defined by a careful balance between preservation and intervention, where the character of the building is maintained while the layout is adapted for contemporary living.

A generous entrance hall introduces the home, designed with integrated storage and a built-in bench that reflects the everyday rhythm of the space. From here, the apartment unfolds into a sequence of rooms organised around both openness and separation.

The kitchen forms a central element of the living area. Previously enclosed, it has been opened and reconfigured around a three-metre granite island, creating a space designed equally for daily use and gathering. The adjoining living and dining areas maintain generous proportions, allowing for both formal and informal use.

The layout includes three principal bedrooms, a guest bedroom and two additional rooms currently used as offices, as well as four full bathrooms and a guest WC. The distribution allows for flexibility, adapting easily to different ways of living or working from home.

Materiality plays a defining role throughout. Hungarian point oak parquet runs across the floors, while doors are either restored originals or reclaimed from period buildings, preserving continuity with the past. Cast-iron radiators have been carefully restored, and the wooden windows combine original elements with new pieces crafted to match the building’s character.

Modern systems have been integrated discreetly. Airzone technology controls both heating and cooling, ensuring comfort throughout the year without compromising the architectural integrity of the space.

The building itself retains its historic entrance, complete with a classic lift and concierge service, as well as a secondary access via the rear staircase. A separate utility room is located discreetly at the back of the property.

Casa Cortes also carries a layer of recent history, having once served as the first office of Adolfo Suárez, Spain’s first Prime Minister of the democratic era.

A residence where history, architecture and contemporary living meet in the centre of Madrid.