Experimental apartment in the experimental housing estate Invalidovna
At the beginning of 2016, the architects were faced with the task of a complete reconstruction of an apartment in its original state in a panel building from the sixties located in the experimental housing estate of Invalidovna in Prague. The apartment no longer met the current demands for living. A young couple chose the panel building primarily due to its favorable price combined with good accessibility to the city center. The brief was to explore the modification of the apartment layout into a form that would flexibly respond to the couple's changing life situation.
The goal was to utilize the space of the small apartment as generously as possible for life as a couple, while also allowing for simple construction modifications that would provide privacy for a growing family. The apartment should easily adapt to the changing spatial needs that life brings.
The answer to the seemingly simple brief is the design of two phases of the layout.
The first phase utilizes the entire space, which is firmly defined by the structural system of reinforced concrete panels, and allows the layout to flow freely around them. The space is divided by only two "pillars." One contains the toilet, and the other built-in wardrobes.
The second phase complements this division with sliding doors, which can separate the flowing space into independent lockable rooms if necessary.
The material solution of the interior was influenced by the limited budget of the investor. Nevertheless, emphasis was placed on the quality of the materials used. The outer reinforced concrete walls were left in their raw form at the clients' request – great lovers of brutalism and raw concrete aesthetics. The other walls were finished with new plaster and white paint due to the small size of the apartment. The sanitary facilities of the apartment are lined with white ceramic mosaics. An industrial oak mosaic was laid on the floor, the original cast-iron radiators were restored, and new horizontal copper pipes were installed. Great attention was given to the atypical built-in kitchen, where the investor enjoys spending a significant part of her free time. Thanks to a slight shift, it was possible to place the kitchen with a countertop even by the strip window, significantly enhancing the experience of cooking in the kitchen and simultaneously multiplying the space for meal preparation.
The goal was to utilize the space of the small apartment as generously as possible for life as a couple, while also allowing for simple construction modifications that would provide privacy for a growing family. The apartment should easily adapt to the changing spatial needs that life brings.
The answer to the seemingly simple brief is the design of two phases of the layout.
The first phase utilizes the entire space, which is firmly defined by the structural system of reinforced concrete panels, and allows the layout to flow freely around them. The space is divided by only two "pillars." One contains the toilet, and the other built-in wardrobes.
The second phase complements this division with sliding doors, which can separate the flowing space into independent lockable rooms if necessary.
The material solution of the interior was influenced by the limited budget of the investor. Nevertheless, emphasis was placed on the quality of the materials used. The outer reinforced concrete walls were left in their raw form at the clients' request – great lovers of brutalism and raw concrete aesthetics. The other walls were finished with new plaster and white paint due to the small size of the apartment. The sanitary facilities of the apartment are lined with white ceramic mosaics. An industrial oak mosaic was laid on the floor, the original cast-iron radiators were restored, and new horizontal copper pipes were installed. Great attention was given to the atypical built-in kitchen, where the investor enjoys spending a significant part of her free time. Thanks to a slight shift, it was possible to place the kitchen with a countertop even by the strip window, significantly enhancing the experience of cooking in the kitchen and simultaneously multiplying the space for meal preparation.
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