A young family in Graz, Austria was looking for an apartment with potential and then came upon an elderly property in need of renovation – it was a Victorian-era house (the German-speaking world calls this sort of housing a Gründerhaus). The architect Armin Stocker (S.DREI Architektur, Graz) took on the renovation and conversion work at the property ("Apartment 8") and came away with an award entitled "best architects 10". A lucky break for the contracted architects and the clients, but success with the award-winning project proves that, as well as luck, expertise and attention to detail also count.
This 135 sq.m apartment which had stood empty for a long time needed careful treatment in order to transform it into a desirable living space for its prospective residents. The clients specified that there should be room for literature and art, i.e. considered solutions for attractive storage and living space. The team from S.DREI Architektur found the answer in a combination of cloakroom, library, kitchen fittings and lounge areas. The lounge was enlarged and at the same time the dining room was enlarged by the addition of an all-year loggia. The bedrooms, however, were kept to compact dimensions, permitting a more generous space allowance for the shared areas. White dominates all surfaces in the apartment, creating just the right ambience for designer furniture, contemporary art and an antique piano, while at the same time, allowing the green of the inner courtyard, seen through the window, to create the effect of a painting.
Armin Stocker and his partner, Walter Sametinger, came together in 2002 to form S.DREI Architektur. Based in the centre of Graz, they run an architects' studio employing a total of 6 staff. The S.DREI team have designed a number of innovative and attention-grabbing projects. And the "best architects" prize rewarded their overall strategy. The award singles out the best architects in the German-speaking world. This year, out of 228 submissions, a total of 43 architecturally-outstanding projects won awards in five different categories. S.DREI Architektur won the best architects award in the interior design category for their Apartment 8 project. The satisfaction of the clients and the "best architects 10" award prove how successful S.DREI Architektur has been in converting and reviving this old property to what is a very high architectural standard.
