A hammock suspended in midair and tables with integrated storage systems are some of the space-saving details that Colombo and Serboli Architecture have added inside this series of low-budget community co-working spaces in Barcelona.

Colombo and Serboli Architecture, also known as CaSA, was asked to transform five unused commercial properties in Baro? de Viver, an area of the Spanish city with a high rate of unemployment. The aim was to create workspaces for local entrepreneurs.
The budget was very tight, so the architects developed a series of versatile furniture designs able to suit various activities.

"We had to translate the laudable target of the initiative into space, transforming five never-used, neglected, bricked and empty premises on the ground floor of social-housing blocks into attractive, vibrant workspaces where small companies would want to set up their offices," said the team. "The project had to make the most of the spaces, give visibility of the co-working to the neighbourhood, communicate openness, and keep content safe in an area with security problems."

Two of the five spaces are positioned next to one another, so were joined together. This created enough extra space to provide a kitchen, but not enough for a lounge space ? so CaSA instead decided to make one that was raised up in the air.

They built a simple steel frame and wrapped netting over it, creating an elevated hammock. It is accessed via a simple stairca...