rounded-loft-by-a1architects

A stainless steel net takes the place of a banister around the staircase and first floor corridor of this apartment in Prague.

A1Architects converted the former attic of an apartment block into a two-storey residence with living rooms and bedrooms on the lower level and a guest suite on the upper floor.

Illuminated timber bookshelves are arranged like a wall of bricks behind a staircase that ascends from the living room, whilst two hollow bottom steps provide additional storage space.

Walls and ceilings in this room and elsewhere in the apartment have rounded edges.

The apartment also contains a marble and granite kitchen, grey-plastered feature walls and exposed timber columns.

A1Architects previously designed a larch-clad teahouse with a tall roof – see our earlier story here.

Photography is by David Maštálka of A1Architects.

Here are some more details from the architects:

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Rounded Loft

Prague, Czech Republic
Lenka Křemenová & David Maštálka / A1Architects

At the beginning of the year 2010 we had started designing grand attic loft in Prague. It was a new challenge for us to deal with almost “boundless” space for living according to our previous experience focused mainly on small scale.

The issue of “boundless” space became the main motif of our work. The private spaces such as bedrooms are of course separated, but the rest of common activities rooms are connected within one fluent space.

It starts at the entrance hall with dressing wardrobes and slightly continues towards living space and kitchen with large dining table, the space is also opened to upper gallery which is meant for guests. To reach specific fluency of space we decided to round off some of the interior corners, which finally give the space its unique smooth character.

Due to these softened corners one moves and feel simply free and the boundaries of walls somehow disappears. Even the staircase with integrated fireplace and library climbs up in rounded corner. The railing is made out of thin stainless steel net, so it is safe but even smooth and transparent.

Next to the main continuous living space there are three bedrooms and one study room, and some storage spaces integrated mostly as built in furniture.

The issue of materials was another important part of the project. Their main attributes are touchableness and pure naturalness. We chose carefully many of them together with clients at stone workshop and joinery. Most of wooden furniture were tailor made pieces.

Beige large format tiles are used on all attic floors to support the feeling of continuity. We exposed as much of the wooden bearing structure as we could.

The kitchen counter is made out of black granite stone which is next to bright marble on the wall behind. There is used walnut wood for the dining table and ash veneer for the light above.

The living space is connected with the kitchen by raw grey plaster.

Client: private person
Authors: A1Architects
MgA. Lenka Křemenová, MgA. David Maštálka
Project: A1Architects
Floor area: cca 220 m2
Realisation: 2011
Study: 2010

jaffa-flat-by-pitsou-kedem

Wall coverings have been peeled away to reveal a vaulted stone ceiling that’s several hundred years old inside this refurbished apartment in Tel Aviv.

Israeli architects Pitsou Kedem removed walls between the sandstone brick columns to create an open plan living and dining room surrounded by arches.

An exterior wall was replaced by a thinly framed glass arch that now links the living room to a balcony overlooking the port of Old Jaffa.

The architects installed Corian shelving and surfaces to rooms, as well as a stainless steel kitchen.

A transparent glass cylinder surrounds a shower in the bedroom.

Framed glass doors provide access from this bedroom to a second outdoor terrace.

Other refurbished interiors featured on Dezeen include a Tokyo apartment with the appearance of an elegant building site and a former poet’s house converted into a writer’s retreat.

Photography is by Amit Geron.

Here are some more details from Pitsou Kedem:

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Jaffa Flat

The language of minimalism imbedded in a historic residence in Old Jaffa.

The 100 square meter residential home is located in Old Jaffa. Its location is unique in that it is set above the harbor, facing west with all of its openings facing the majestic splendor of the Mediterranean Sea.

Whilst it is difficult to determine the buildings exact age, it is clear that it is hundreds of years old.

Over the years, it has undergone many changes and had many additions made that have damaged the original quality of the building and its spaces.

The central idea was to restore the structure’s original, characteristics, the stone walls, the segmented ceilings and the arches including the exposure of the original materials (a combination of pottery and beach sand).

The building has been cleaned of all of the extraneous elements, from newer wall coverings and has undergone a peeling process to expose its original state.

Surprisingly, modern, minimalistic construction styles remind us of and correspond with the ascetic style of the past, and this despite the vast time difference between them.

The central idea was to combine the old and the new whilst maintaining the qualities of each and to create new spaces that blend the styles together even intensify them because of the contrast and tension between the different periods.

The historical is expressed by preserving the textures and materials of the buildings outer shell and by respecting the building engineering accord.

The modern is expressed by the opening of spaces and by altering the internal flow to one more open and free and the creation of an urban loft environment along with the use of stainless steel, iron and Corian in the various partitions, in the openings and in the furniture.

The project succeeds in both honoring and preserving the historical and almost romantic values of the structure whilst creating a contemporary project, modern and suited to its period.

Despite the time differences, the tensions and the dichotomy between the periods exist in a surprisingly balanced and harmonic space.

Design team: Pitsou Kedem & Raz Melamed

Experiencing The Past

If you're an adventurous traveler, the kind who seek the unexpected when abroad, this might be the kind of lodging you might want to experience. Yet another minimalist hotel in Italy, this one is quite different from the one featured in yesterday's post. Austrian architects feld72, took an abandoned house in Prata Sannita, north of Naples, Italy, and transformed it into The Million Donkey Hotel, resembling the town's original cave-like houses built into the the rocky hillside. The hotel is far from being a 5-star resort, but the experience of going back to Medieval times is priceless. Although the hotel doesn't offer many rooms, they're extremely unique, especially Il Letto Volante (The Flying Bed), a room with a rolling bed that gives you the option of sleeping indoors or under the stars — of course, given you don't suffer from acrophobia. 

Images © Hertha Hurnaus