RECONSTRUCTION OF AN APARTMENT BRATISLAVA OLD TOWN

ARCHITECT — Mgr. art. Zuzana Horniaková, Archstyl achitekti, Bratislava

PHOTOGRAHER — Marián Svítek, BOLD Digital, Bratislava

PRODUCTS — Berker Serie 1930 Rosenthal white

Stylish design and renovation of a large old-town apartment in the center of Bratilava, in the spirit of Scandinavian design and icons from the 60s.

Poor layout, inadequate wiring throughout the apartment. In addition, the only source of heating for an apartment with an area of ​​almost 120 square meters was one gas "gamatka". But, as it happens, a great location... The Old Town in Bratislava simply beckons. In this case, the investment in the renovation of the apartment will pay off.

The young owners embarked on the transformation of the apartment with an area of ​​118.4 m2 with great gusto. The apartment in the house built in the post-war period was originally much larger, but over time one large one became two smaller ones, still generous in size by today's standards. The problem was only with the kitchen, the original one with the appropriate distribution and waste water "remained" in the second apartment.

The original condition of the apartment

The owners entrusted the reconstruction to the Archstyl studio. "The most important thing was to completely replace the water distribution, waste and electrical installation. There was no heating in the individual rooms, the only source of heat was the gas 'gamatky' in the living room, connected by a fireplace chimney to the next room," calculates Mgr. Art. Zuzana Horniaková from the Archstyl studio.

The realization was submitted by the studio to the Interior of the Year competition in the Reconstruction category. The competition is organized by the Institute of Residential Design for Czech and Slovak architects and residential designers.

A complete transformation

The dismal appearance of the apartment required a demanding and complete reconstruction, which not only went through all the wiring, but also all the surfaces.

Walls, ceilings or a new stable base for the solid wood floor (taking into account the original floor laying grid) all had to be repaired or created new.

The architects also had to replace the windows and doors on the loggia. In order to preserve the grid of the facade, they did not do without custom manufacturing.

The layout of the kitchen, bathroom and one of the through rooms (now a bedroom) has changed. "We created a separate kitchen with access to the pantry and at the same time a technical room, a bathroom and a separate toilet," describes Zuzana Horniaková.

The great advantage of the interior is the high ceilings, corresponding to the age of the house and the location. The architects therefore wanted to create an open space that would accept the original elements that give the apartment a distinctive character.

Custom-made steel frame structures helped brighten the space.

"Using steel frame constructions, custom-made according to our requirements, we achieved lightness and illumination of the space. The appearance of the interior is inspired by elements of Scandinavian design in combination with period architecture of the 1950s and 1960s," says architect Horniaková.

When gray and oak rule

The colors and materials used in the interior look light and pleasant. The color is based on a combination of warm shades of the solid oak floor in contrast with the furniture and interior accessories. These are most often in neutral shades of gray with accents of red to highlight details.

The interior is dominated by high-quality natural materials and painted surfaces in several shades of gray, which naturally follow each other. When choosing the equipment, the architects managed to connect current trends and design from the middle of the last century, when design icons of well-known creators were created.

For the Danish brand Vola, Arne Jacobsen created an original battery design decades ago.

For example, it is the Danish brand Vola, for which Arne Jacobsen created an original battery design. The crimson red version of its faucet dominates the neutral space of the kitchen. The iconic Berker Series 1930 switches, made of high-quality porcelain, underline the historical character of the entire apartment.

Also interesting are the details of the design solution of the revolving panel/door to the bedroom, milled types of handles or cassette panels for custom-made furniture.