Old House Filled with Minimalist Modules
New houses give architects a blank slate to work with, but a far more common question is: what does one do with an existing structure and limited budget?
Rather than revamp the floor plan, modify the walls or refit new windows, Sepka Architekti took an additive approach to this remodel, filling in blank spaces with a toolkit of functional living accessories that also shape space.
The result is a language of built-in light wooden furniture, fold-out beds and other furnishings, and space-saving fixtures that intentionally stand out against the bare backdrop provided, but unfold to accommodate the basic needs of the dwelling and create a secondary visual language in each zone.
In some places, the resulting pieces hide additional functionality – in others, they become planes that wrap overhead and inform the look and feel of the room.
“The living space was created in such a way that we helped by demolishing the wall between two small rooms, even at the cost that there was no separate bedroom room. That’s why the double bed simply slips under the study on a raised landing, ” says the architect.
“Everything is done in such a way that they are embedded pieces of furniture into the original house. Because the whole apartment is really very small, it was important to think of a kind of puzzle. When we pull out the bed for the night, it takes up the entire living space of the free floor, so we have to leave the table and chairs sideways – that’s why they have wheels.”
“Thanks to my wife and I want to have the whole apartment very interconnected, we resigned to enclosed spaces that are used only for a certain part of the day, such as a bedroom. Therefore, a solution with one large space, which is also a study, wardrobe, library and overnight just bedrooms. We also dealt with the kitchen, which is also residential. The whole apartment is actually one space where everyone can move and have privacy. ”
