In a 1950s residential complex in the urban core of Trieste, the project renovates a compact 60-square-meter apartment. The original layout—characterized by rigid compartmentalization and disproportionate room dimensions—proved difficult to adapt to contemporary living. At the same time, the apartment benefited from a favorable position that allowed generous natural ventilation and daylight, qualities that became the starting point for a more open and connected spatial organization.

The intervention explores strategies for rethinking small-scale housing. Rather than radically altering the plan, the project works through precise adjustments that unlock spatial qualities already present but constrained by the former layout. The result is a flexible domestic environment capable of accommodating different uses over time.

The apartment’s L-shaped geometry is reorganized around a central island kitchen. Carefully shaped to accommodate an existing structural column, the island integrates appliances and becomes the spatial pivot of the new layout. From this central element, the kitchen mediates between two key areas: the living space on one side and a smaller multifunctional room on the other.

This secondary room is defined by a fully foldable wall system that allows the space to transform according to need—functioning as a study or guest room when closed, or extending the living area when opened. Through this device, the apartment gains significant programmatic flexibility and supports a contemporary approach to compact urban living.

Material choices follow a pragmatic and legible logic. Flooring differentiates functional zones to support everyday use and maintenance. The kitchen is constructed in almost raw birch plywood with exposed edges, celebrating the honesty of the material. The same handcrafted approach informs several custom joinery elements—including the folding doors—designed by EMPATE and produced specifically for the apartment in collaboration with local artisans.