RULES Architects about the project: The interior of the three room loft has been designed to underline the main advantages of lofts - ease, casualness and space. Visible elements of the steel structure of the roof add industrial character to the loft whereas natural materials make it cosy. In spite of the trendy daytime area the layout of the loft designated for family of 4 is rational and practical. The daytime zone consists of a hall, a kitchen, a dining room and a living room. The night zone has two bedrooms, a bathroom and a separate toilet.
The proved combination of wood with black and white works anytime and anywhere. The elements that are in direct contact with a visitor - the floor and the wall opposite the window - have been designed of warm pine wood. The walls, the ceiling and fitted furniture are white. In a neutral space a black roof structure is remarkable. A functional art - a handmade mosaic.
In spite of industrial elements the living room of the loft is cosy giving a feel of heart and home. High clearance evokes a loft atmosphere. The living room seems to be very clean as it has been freed of elements that are necessary but do not have to be seen.
The corner lounge suite of grey fabric has been designed and tailored to fit into the room as if it was born there. Unlike other lounge suites this one has wider armrests with a subwoofer integrated into the one closer to the window. As a result we got rid of one not nice looking box in the living room.
As the headroom of the apartment at its highest point is almost four metres it could be divided into two levels. On the lower level there is the living room, the dining room and the kitchen, on the upper one there is the mezzanine with a bookcase. The lowered part is situated above the communication part of the daytime area, so the lower clear height does not disturb the space . In the mezzanine a net instead of railing has been used.
In the mezzanine there is a bookcase with a beanbag meant for reading. The floor of the mezzanine in the daytime area consists of a grid with a black perforated metal plate laid on beams of the steel structure. The floor of the mezzanine above the night time passage, bathroom and toilet is closed and offers an additional storage room or a secret hiding place.
As the small hall and a daytime area make up one space the hall does not feel confined. There is a bench for changing shoes, a shoe cabinet, a coat wardrobe and a little shelf for keys. Night time area is separated from the daytime zone by a sliding door hidden in the wall. With the sliding and bathroom doors wide open from the hall we can see into the exterior.
As most of the time we spend at home is in the morning and in the evening, we need lighting. The right choice of artificial lighting can make the best of visual potential of space and create unique light atmosphere. The lighting in the loft can be dimmed so it can be used as a strong light source for cleaning as well as a dimmed light for watching TV.
The TV on a revolving bracket can be watched from the kitchen as well as from the living room. It is not an off-the-shelf bracket but the atypical tailored product designed and made especially for this loft. We did our best and except turning around it allows to adjust the rake angle in all directions and to hid all cables.
Though the owner's original wish was a kitchen with an island, due to spatial reasons we preferred an L-shape kitchen. The kitchen door is matt white, the kitchen board is made of MDF. The kitchen has a hidden door into a pantry and a place for stereo components. The wall behind the induction hob is protected by a handmade Sometile mosaic.
In spite of the trend of making kitchen tops of artificial stones, in the apartment we used an ordinary MDF board. You can have it for a fraction of the price of a stone top, it suits its purpose in similar way and in combination with a high-quality stainless steel kitchen sink it looks almost luxurious. And unlike a stone top, the MDF is not cold so you can even sit on it.
We have stretched the kitchen top to the window frame so it is broadened by the area of the window sill. Usually, there are heaters under the windows and ventilation is provided by cut vents. Placing the kitchen top to the wall with a window has added advantage: after opening the window the top will turn into a bar accessible directly from the balcony. The orientation of the lounge suite allows lying on its elongated section as close to the window as possible. For reading there are two separated lamps - one is suspended in the corner and another is on the wall. Under the armrest there is a partially hidden subwoofer. The large full-height window optimally connects the interior with the exterior...
Client
súkromný
Location
Bratislava, Slovakia
Year
2015
Photographs
Peter Čintalan
http://www.upinteriors.com/inspiration/project/loft-apartment-in-superstructure-by-rules-architects/
