Staroměstská is a full-scale renovation of an apartment in Prague’s historic centre that addresses both the structural condition and the spatial organisation of the original layout.
The initial state revealed a sequence of rooms filled with accumulated layers of different periods – from early 20th-century kitchen furniture to 1970s pieces and later contemporary additions. The first step of the reconstruction was the complete removal of these layers, allowing the original spatial structure to re-emerge.
The new proposal divides the apartment into two independent units – a generous main apartment and a compact studio. This transformation increases the usability of the existing footprint while maintaining the clarity of the historic framework.
The flooring was newly completed, including the installation of sub-base concrete, utility infrastructure, and wall plastering. At the same time, the key architectural elements were preserved and carefully refurbished, including the panelled doors, profiled frames and windows. Selected pieces of original furniture were restored and reintroduced, often in combination with new elements or integrated into custom-made shelving systems.
The new insertions form a distinct contemporary layer that contrasts with the preserved structures. The design is based on a composition of materials, colour accents and visual connections that organise the space and define relationships between individual rooms.
Each room is structured around a clearly defined element – a blue kitchen island, an orange upholstered sofa oriented towards multiple directions of the living space, or a stone-green double bed placed in front of the bedroom window. Despite the generous proportions, the rooms maintain a sequence of more intimate zones.
The studio unit is conceived as a compact spatial structure. A linear kitchen counter transforms into a staircase leading to a mezzanine sleeping platform, with a bathroom positioned below. The vertical arrangement creates a dynamic Raumplan that makes the most of its small footprint.
Historical elements and contemporary interventions are set side by side, allowing each to remain distinct while shaping a unified space.
