An atypical duplex apartment in the Prague quarter Podolí stands out with its ground-plan shape, building structure and the unconventional entrance from the outdoor gallery. Clients approached us with a desire to fully reconstruct the apartment from the early 90's and to adjust its space for maximal usage. In the original layout, the owners didn’t use one of the most beautiful rooms with a balcony due to its position in the apartment, so it only served as a laundry and storage room.
The 98m 2 apartment lies on two floors, each floor is 3.3m wide and 14.9m long. The construction of the apartment building is a reinforced concrete frame completed with prefabricated concrete panels. The idea of the design was to clean these original structures and maintain the original rough surface. Concrete columns and ceilings were completed with a concrete screed on the floor. We’re very pleased that the clients weren’t afraid to use concrete surfaces and that all of us were on the same wave from the very beginning. The original and new concrete structures were complemented by a steel hinged staircase, a shoe cabinet and a library. The industrial interior was complemented by elegant materials and surfaces on built-in and piece furniture – a smoke mirror on the fume hood, a stainless steel kitchen door, a glass door and a backlit glass bookshelf.
In the original layout, the kitchen was located just behind the entrance to the apartment from the outdoor gallery. As part of the reconstruction, we changed this unsuitable position, and the newly designed kitchen is located on the opposite side in the quiet part of the apartment with direct access to the balcony. The entrance is now a spacious vestibule with a dressing room and a shoe cabinet, and is connected to the communication node – the staircase. On the second floor of the maisonette lies the private part – the bedroom, the bathroom and the living room with a study.
Due to the completely unsatisfactory technical conditions of the apartment, it was necessary to implement all water, waste and electrical distribution systems. Entrance doors and windows had to be replaced as well. The apartment is located under the building roof, which results in overheating during summer months. As part of the reconstruction, new air conditioning was distributed and roof skylights were provided with a protective foil.
Due to the apartment’s atypical nature, all the furniture is equally atypical and tailor-made.
