Apartment with a wooden core

The apartment in a building from the late 1940s is located in a quiet part of Bubenč in Prague. As part of a generational exchange of residents, the apartment, which has been passed down through the same family for over three generations, a young couple decided on a complete reconstruction and approached the architectural studio Papundekl for collaboration.

The original layout of the apartment was characterized by awkwardly arranged spaces. The clients' wish was to rotate the layout so that the living room with the kitchen would be on the sunny southern side, where the windows overlook a public courtyard, while the bedrooms would be on the quieter northern side. The architects explored several possible layouts, and ultimately, the optimal solution turned out to be a “loop” layout around a centrally located chamber, which required significant structural modifications. A structural engineer was invited to collaborate, and it turned out that the building's structure really allows for these modifications.

The central chamber, which was only a barely usable passage storage in the original layout, has been transformed by the architects into a multifunctional furniture box. This wooden core has become the main motif of the apartment. The box includes a library, a workspace, it conceals a technical room with a boiler, washing machine, and dryer, and it is equipped with a large mirror and storage spaces towards the hallway.

The rounded corners of the box support the fluidity of the space, making the hallway part of the living area of the apartment. The box is equipped with translucent sliding walls made of hollow polycarbonate, allowing for the separation of individual spaces.

By connecting the original rooms, a pleasant living area with a generous kitchen was created, which has access to a balcony and a view of the adjacent park. The layout of the apartment was reorganized to serve the current needs of its residents effectively. A practical technical room was newly created, the toilet was relocated closer to the entrance of the apartment, the hallway is equipped with built-in storage spaces, and the bedroom has a separate dressing room.

The furniture core is made of birch plywood, thus it differs from the other built-in furniture, which is made of light gray laminated boards. New parquet flooring was laid in the apartment, while the bathroom, toilet, and technical room have a floor screed.

The clients add: “We decided to do the reconstruction of our apartment in Bubenč completely from scratch, which is why we approached the Papundekl architects, who designed the desired layout for us. We are extremely satisfied with the result. The apartment has become brighter overall, and we managed to connect the living room and kitchen and move them to the south, where we have a loggia and also a nicer view of the greenery. Additionally, we love the central multifunctional box, which is illuminated all around with LED strips, and has multiple uses - for instance, the technical room is hidden in its center and there is also a workspace, which comes in handy during the time of home offices.”