The etymology of the diaphanous adjective refers to diaphanus, a medieval Latin word, although its root is found in a Greek term that can be translated as “transparent”. Something diaphanous, therefore, is what allows the passage of light almost completely.
For example: “The new museum has an open and spacious space for the exhibition of artistic works”, “We dined in the open main hall of the hotel, which is located on the top floor”, “Vehicles must have clear windows to that drivers do not see their visibility affected”.
Open -plan homes are very attractive to buyers, especially younger ones, since they offer very spacious and bright spaces. However, it is important to know the procedures that we need to carry out to access a house with these characteristics.
Broadly speaking, we can say that an open space in this context is a loft, part of a commercial or industrial building that has been remodeled so that it can be used as a home or, as is often the case for activities typical of our era, as a place of worked. Buying this type of property can save close to 40% compared to a traditional house, but to avoid certain risks, it is necessary to go through a particular administrative process.
First of all, it is necessary to know that the process is different depending on whether the place has been used for industrial or commercial activities .
Things change if the premises have an industrial or commercial use. For this explanation we will place ourselves in the situation of Spain, since there may be differences from one country to another. In the case of properties with industrial use, there is a legal vacuum, which is why those interested in buying them simply have to prove themselves self-employed and obtain a license for economic activities in order to have the right to inhabit them.
From an official point of view, an industrial premises must be used solely for the exercise of professional activities and, therefore, be taxed with a VAT of 16%, instead of the 7% that corresponds to a residence. Another important fact is that you cannot use a housing account to buy it.
In the case of wanting to acquire an open space that has been used for commercial purposes, the procedures include a request to the City Council so that its use as a residence becomes possible, in addition to obtaining the certificate of habitability. If the property is located in a community, then the neighbors must give unanimous consent for the transaction to proceed.
Today there are several companies that take care of the administrative part, so that buyers can simply focus on choosing the property of their dreams and preparing the move.
Diaphanous can also be used with reference to a place devoid of divisions and obstacles, which is clear. A large office that only has a desk and a chair can be described as open plan. The same can be said for a home with few furnishings and decorations.
What can be clearly perceived or understood is also qualified as diaphanous. Suppose a doctor attends a primary school to talk to children about the importance of hygiene and cleanliness to prevent infection. The professional, in this context, addresses the students using clear language, with simple words and appealing to examples from everyday life so that the children can understand the ideas. The doctor’s goal is to teach them how to wash their hands and how to wash food before eating it to minimize the risk of infection: so it makes no sense to resort to technical vocabulary. Before another audience, on the other hand, the doctor would resort to different expressions.
