Comfort on 18 m²
From a former laundry, a design apartment has emerged in the heart of Brno.
Berou care of seemingly uninhabitable spaces that others see no use for and transform them into luxury apartments in the most attractive locations. This describes the Living Showroom project, which the architectural studio Adam Rujbr Architects launched five years ago. They are now presenting their third unusual conversion - a centrally located apartment in Brno for design enthusiasts, measuring only 18 m².
The concept of Living Showroom represents a way to transform abandoned non-residential spaces into fully furnished modern apartments. "The goal of the project is not only to revitalize unused places in attractive locations but also to show as many people as possible how to do it. Therefore, all Living Showrooms operate as Airbnb-style accommodations that anyone can book online. They are ideal for lovers of quality modern architecture and for anyone seeking not just accommodation but also a unique experience," presented the project its creator, architect Adam Rujbr.
The latest Living Showroom has emerged in the attic of a residential building in one of the liveliest locations in Brno - on Běhounská Street, in the immediate vicinity of Jakubské Square. With an area of only 18 m², it is the smallest of all previous realizations. "This used to be a laundry room with a drying area, so we decided to preserve the 'working' industrial character of the space. You will find raw materials in the form of wooden block flooring, metal work lockers, and a barrel instead of a sink. All of this combined with clean white surfaces and indirect ambient lighting," described the unusual space Rujbr.
The compact yet airy space was created by demolishing all the original dividing walls. Now it features a spacious double bed adjacent to a work nook, a sofa that can be converted into another full-size bed, and a kitchen made of dark metal with a built-in fireplace. A separate toilet and a spacious shower are complemented by a barrel-shaped sink, which can be opened and used for storage. A window spanning the entire width of the bathroom offers a view of the functionalist building of the Janáček Theatre. Massive sliding doors made of aged wood dominate the whole apartment, allowing the space to be variably divided, creating a separate bedroom or hiding the shower and toilet for privacy, or conversely, opening them up to let in sunlight.
The building on Běhounská also has another distinction - it is the first Living Showroom created as a franchise. Its current owner was so taken by this project that he decided to build his own Living Showroom in collaboration with Adam Rujbr Architects. "I came across this concept in a professional magazine shortly after the opening of the first Living Showroom, and as an architecture lover, it caught my eye at first sight. When I then tried staying overnight in it, I was sure I wanted to go for it too. I love the idea of finding a unique space that is sitting idle and giving it new life and meaning,” described his journey to the Living Showroom Michal Chládek, who has rented the space. He invested 800 thousand crowns into the two-year reconstruction. He regrets neither the effort nor the money and believes that his investment in his "heartfelt" project will pay off.
The Living Showroom concept is based on energy-efficient operation, the use of renewable resources, and self-sustainability, as well as ingenious high-tech solutions. The apartment on Běhounská is therefore heated using an air-to-air heat pump, with heating and cooling controllable remotely via a mobile app. Thanks to a self-check-in system, guests can check in on their own, even just a few minutes after making an online reservation.
Similar "features" are offered by the other two Living Showrooms. The first one, located on Lidická Street in Brno, was created in 2013, also on the site of a former laundry. The second apartment, opened by the architectural studio in 2016 on Jakubská Street in the center of Prague, previously served as a stable or beer tavern.
More information about the Living Showroom project can be found at www.livingshowroom.cz
The concept of Living Showroom represents a way to transform abandoned non-residential spaces into fully furnished modern apartments. "The goal of the project is not only to revitalize unused places in attractive locations but also to show as many people as possible how to do it. Therefore, all Living Showrooms operate as Airbnb-style accommodations that anyone can book online. They are ideal for lovers of quality modern architecture and for anyone seeking not just accommodation but also a unique experience," presented the project its creator, architect Adam Rujbr.
The latest Living Showroom has emerged in the attic of a residential building in one of the liveliest locations in Brno - on Běhounská Street, in the immediate vicinity of Jakubské Square. With an area of only 18 m², it is the smallest of all previous realizations. "This used to be a laundry room with a drying area, so we decided to preserve the 'working' industrial character of the space. You will find raw materials in the form of wooden block flooring, metal work lockers, and a barrel instead of a sink. All of this combined with clean white surfaces and indirect ambient lighting," described the unusual space Rujbr.
The compact yet airy space was created by demolishing all the original dividing walls. Now it features a spacious double bed adjacent to a work nook, a sofa that can be converted into another full-size bed, and a kitchen made of dark metal with a built-in fireplace. A separate toilet and a spacious shower are complemented by a barrel-shaped sink, which can be opened and used for storage. A window spanning the entire width of the bathroom offers a view of the functionalist building of the Janáček Theatre. Massive sliding doors made of aged wood dominate the whole apartment, allowing the space to be variably divided, creating a separate bedroom or hiding the shower and toilet for privacy, or conversely, opening them up to let in sunlight.
The building on Běhounská also has another distinction - it is the first Living Showroom created as a franchise. Its current owner was so taken by this project that he decided to build his own Living Showroom in collaboration with Adam Rujbr Architects. "I came across this concept in a professional magazine shortly after the opening of the first Living Showroom, and as an architecture lover, it caught my eye at first sight. When I then tried staying overnight in it, I was sure I wanted to go for it too. I love the idea of finding a unique space that is sitting idle and giving it new life and meaning,” described his journey to the Living Showroom Michal Chládek, who has rented the space. He invested 800 thousand crowns into the two-year reconstruction. He regrets neither the effort nor the money and believes that his investment in his "heartfelt" project will pay off.
The Living Showroom concept is based on energy-efficient operation, the use of renewable resources, and self-sustainability, as well as ingenious high-tech solutions. The apartment on Běhounská is therefore heated using an air-to-air heat pump, with heating and cooling controllable remotely via a mobile app. Thanks to a self-check-in system, guests can check in on their own, even just a few minutes after making an online reservation.
Similar "features" are offered by the other two Living Showrooms. The first one, located on Lidická Street in Brno, was created in 2013, also on the site of a former laundry. The second apartment, opened by the architectural studio in 2016 on Jakubská Street in the center of Prague, previously served as a stable or beer tavern.
More information about the Living Showroom project can be found at www.livingshowroom.cz
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