When our clients bought the apartment, the space required a substantial renovation for their functional lifestyle and growing family. Their desire was to open up the space, while maintaining many of the original details found throughout. What kept recurring during many of our meetings and conversations was their love for food and it became apparent that the kitchen needed to be open and at the center of the design. To maximize the use of the space we located the kitchen within a niche which naturally opened up to the living spaces in a loft like manner. We took advantage of an awkwardly located riser volume by wrapping the new kitchen around it, creating areas of privacy within the larger living spaces.

Although several partitions have been removed, we were able to preserve many of the original details that were important to us and the client. Our spatial interventions are functional and simple and frames the original details such as the fireplace and ceiling. The fireplace has been stripped of the paint to expose its raw and beautiful oak panels. The ornamental ceiling, previously separated by a different color and dividing partition, is uniformed into a single piece by painting it white.

The large cast iron windows facing south, flood the entire floor of the apartment with beautiful natural daylight. The upper floor houses the bedrooms and bathrooms, also fully illuminated by the continuous south facing windows.

Private Residence

Photographs by Beatrice Pediconi