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Architects
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Location
Moscow, Russia -
Area
175.0 sqm -
Project Year
2015 -
Photographs
Text description provided by the architects. This apartment is designed for a family with two small children. It is divided into two unequal parts, where the first part is at the front of the apartment near the entrance. This part consists of a kitchen, a living room, a dining room and a master bedroom. The second part is a smaller area in the back of the apartment, which is dedicated for children. There are two children's rooms and a play area here. A lengthy corridor connects these two parts with utility rooms along the way: a dressing room/closet, a pantry, a laundry room and two bathrooms.
The front part of the apartment is designed as a free-flowing space, where each area maintains visual connection with the others. The master bedroom is also one of the zones of this space and is connected by wide gates/doors and window-like openings. The bed is raised on a podium and is hidden behind a brick wall, which makes it not visible from the living room from any angle. Thus, the living area receives a visual extension, but the sleeping area retains its intimacy. Protruding volume in the living room enhances the spatial relationship between the bedroom and the living room. It does not reach the ceiling and is trimmed with the sheets of black metal to emphasize the subtlety of this structure.
“Soft” (aka TV) living area is raised on a podium and pushed back from the front windows. So moderate lighting, special comfort and magnificent view from the windows lowered into the floor is created. Living area is separated from the corridor by bookshelves. These bookshelves are organized in the mutual composition with a high-lounger for reading. One can climb up to it using the removable ladder. There is a storage space under the lounger.
The front of the kitchen is set along the whole living and dining space. This allows to fit lots of kitchen gadgets. Custom bar counter on wheels can be easily moved along the kitchen and can serve as an additional work or serving table. Dining table (also designed by the architect) has unusual proportions: its countertop is narrow and long. Such table visually lengthens the dining area and serves as a connecting link between the kitchen and the living room.
The apartment space devoted to the children area originally was very elongated. As a solution, the playroom is placed in the furthest from the windows area. Its walls are partially made of glass so not to lose the natural light. The two children's rooms have similar design and each consists of three parts: a bed raised on a wooden podium, a soft zone with a sofa, and a work area with a desk and most light. This design justifies the elongated nature of both children's rooms. Glass walls separate the soft and work areas of the children’s rooms - it visually expands the space and adds light. However, each child can pull down screens-curtains and create privacy.
There are several different textures combined in the decor: dark brick, light oak planks, sheets of black metal, ceramic tile and rough plaster. Glass partitions are widely used in the interior. The playroom is decorated with tinted cork. All the materials are subject to specific hierarchy, and as such they create a harmonious ensemble.
The author designed z-shaped partitions to organize the flowing space within the guest area. Their shape is easily visible from the side. Partitions clearly divide the zones and visually expand each of them. This solution is especially important for the sitting area. A person experiences two opposite emotions when being in this room. On one hand the sense of security and comfort - because of its intimacy. On the other hand – the feeling of extra space - because the area expands in all directions above the z-shaped partitions.
There are a lot of podiums in the interior, and together they create an intense "landscape". However, their main function is utilitarian, because all the space underneath is arranged for storage. Overall there are 57 drawers under the podiums, plus two closets and pantries. The owners didn’t have to buy any storage furniture thanks to this solution.
