<blockquote>Modest sized apartment for maximum use</blockquote>

The reconstruction of the attic apartment in Prague's Nusle is an undeniable proof that creating a pleasant living space does not require generous dimensions. On an area of just 45 m² , the architect and owner managed to design comfortable living full of impressive atypical solutions.

The modest size of the attic apartment influenced the entire reconstruction. “We acquired the apartment in what is called shell and core condition, which in practice meant that there were no interior partitions at the time of purchase. It was about attic spaces newly approved as a residential unit, where we faced a comprehensive reconstruction,” says Ing. arch. Jan Bek, architect and investor of this realization in one person, who admits that one is the hardest client for oneself: “We were glad to be able to define every centimeter of space. However, this fact, combined with the limited size of the apartment, led to the creation of many design alternatives.”

Atypical Space = Atypical Solutions

The main concept was to maximize the use and efficiency of the available space given the size of the apartment. The owners divided the living unit into a 2+kk layout. An entrance hall with an integrated shoe cabinet and a wall clad with concrete strips imitating white bricks precedes the main living area. The originally planned corridor space with a kitchenette was connected with the living room, allowing them to maximize the central living area of the apartment. As a result, a dominant beam emerged here that needed to be elegantly concealed. “To deal with this element, we let it be framed by custom-designed furniture. This created an atypical element that became the main point determining the further layout of the apartment,” says architect Jan Bek. Below this beam is a kitchen island with a cooking section and a counter serving as a dining table. Opposite the island is the second, washing section of the kitchen, a built-in refrigerator, and a wardrobe substituting a technical room – it hides a condensing gas boiler. All these elements are connected into a single compact wall.

On the opposite side of the island is the living room, in the back of which the ceiling slopes due to the construction of the house's roof. The structure of the truss is also noticeable directly in the wall separating the living room from the bedroom, where space-saving solutions lead to sliding doors into a pocket frame. Here too, the owners struggled with a lack of storage space. They found a solution in the form of a large built-in wardrobe, where a bed is set as a niche. Directly under the roof windows, a desk is also incorporated into the bedroom space.

Contrast in Color Tones

The apartment is dominated by light colors that visually enlarge the space and add airiness to it. The hallway, main living area, and bedroom utilize a combination of white and light wood decor, while smaller areas and elements contrast elegantly with their black finish. “The white furniture surfaces are made of lacquered MDF, and the wood decor in the apartment is exclusively represented by oak veneer. In the living room, the dominant wall cladding imitating white bricks is repeated,” specifies architect Jan Bek.

However, the bathroom stands out with its dark color tones. “Although it is the smallest room in the whole apartment and without windows, we were definitely not afraid of the dark here. Large-format Caesar tiles in a dark gray finish, supplemented with LED lighting, create a pleasant wellness atmosphere inviting for relaxation, even in such a small bathroom space,” adds the architect and co-owner. The bathroom's tone is not disrupted by classic chrome elements or white ceramics – the faucets, shower heads, heated towel rail, and toilet are all black, and the sink features a concrete decor. The gray-white retro tiles visually brighten the bathroom space, also used as cladding above the sink and in the niches of the shower stall.

Space for Czech Design

Other equipment and accessories of the interior reflect the basic essence of its tuning. Thus, besides furniture, oak veneer is found on the surfaces of interior doors and, combined with black lines, even on door fittings. “For the veneered doors, we chose the MAXIMAL handles and shells from the Czech manufacturer M&T. It was not a difficult choice – I like M&T products and have them in every one of our projects. They are high-quality and resonate with our ideology,” says architect Jan Bek, adding further: “Specifically for the MAXIMAL fittings, we were particularly impressed by their ability to carry the insert material on their front surface, which, in our case, is of course oak veneer, as well as the option for an elegant black finish.” The matte black appearance of the handles is enhanced by a titanium surface. “Thanks to the proper base material of the handles, which is solid brass in the case of MAXIMAL fittings, and the durable titanium surface finish, the door fittings can retain their impressively matte black appearance unchanged even after many years of use,” adds Roman Ulich, the principal designer of M&T.

Besides M&T handles, other Czech products also run through the apartment. “I am a big fan of Czech design, creators, and furniture makers, and thus most of the furnishing of our apartment comes from them,” says the architect. Elements in oak veneer further support the interior, such as oak chairs from the company Ton or a solid table from the manufacturer Situs.

For Happy Living

The entire reconstruction took place in a very short time frame, and as the architect himself confirms, it was particularly challenging to monitor the continuity of individual trades. Additionally, the space is really very small, and the equipment consisting mostly of built-in furniture did not ease the handling of other elements in the interior. Everything, however, turned out exactly as the owners envisioned. “I always prefer to recommend to clients to buy a smaller apartment, which they can furnish with quality products and atypical tailor-made solutions. I followed this principle when acquiring and designing my own living space, and my wife and I are very satisfied with the result. We really feel good here,” concludes architect Jan Bek.

Technical Data:

Year of realization: 2017 – 2018
Built area: 45 m²
Subcontractors:
Bomma, Brokis, Caesar, DB by DN, Favia, Gravelli, Hotpoint, Ilumix, InterierH, Interiéry Lapka, Kartoons, Keramika Soukup, M&T handles, MB doors, Polstrin, Pyramis, Quickstep, Situs, SPO, TON, VIP stone
Type of heating: panel radiators, condensing boiler

Architect: Ing. arch. Jan Bek, architectural studio BekArch, www.bekarch.cz  

Ing. arch. Jan Bek

The Prague studio BekArch s.r.o. focuses on both projecting residential objects and the interior creation of commercial and private interiors. This also leads to the division of their portfolio into sections HOUSE, PRIVATE, and SOCIAL. Among the interiors, there are often restaurants, cafes, and offices.

The studio emphasizes the comprehensiveness of services; besides the design phase, they are able to coordinate proven suppliers and assist clients with construction. In their creations, they aim for functionality and simplicity, but not absolutely monochromatic austerity.

Photo: Daniel Čáha for M&T