Apartment in Minsk
The unit is located in the historical heart of Minsk, with a unique atmosphere that recalls the historic narratives of its previous residents. This context sets one of the directions of the future project: to design not just a living space, but a space as a place of memories. However, the main goal was to create a contemporary universal apartment by introducing architectural grammar on the interior scale.
A new plan dismantles the enclosed and cellular layout system, where communication between rooms is organized in only one way — through a corridor.
The design proposal is based on a functional zoning of the apartment which is divided into a living space — where the individual spends most of the time —, and an entry area framed by a wardrobe and a bathroom. Two doorways in combination with the shared area of the living room and the kitchen contribute to flexibility of space and freedom of movement within. The entry area is furnished with a wardrobe and a bathroom comprising a built-in laundry bloc.
Space.
The coherence of vertical elements forms a clear orthogonal system of space revealing and organizing two main planning edges — two parallel enfilades connecting kitchen, living room and bedroom. Both structural unity of the elements and the flexibility of the plan demonstrate the power of the free flowing space.
The design proposal introduces “the framing” of the dominant elements of the fronts within the grey surfaces of the walls, highlighting their interrelated autonomy. Apart from the semantic and aesthetic component, such design solution creates a functional indentation from the adjacent walls (designed to avoid conflict with the adjoining wall surface when doors are open), from the floor (forming a plinth), from the ceiling (emphasizing the horizontal line of the cornice). The projection of the fronts from the wall surface is a meaningful detail which defines functional particularity of elements, their tectonic difference and correlation with each other.
Complex texture of the wall plaster serves as a background for wood veneer fronts with complex shades of red. Textiles and furniture inherit the color scheme of large interior surfaces. For example, the color of curtains mimics the background walls, and the carpet blends into the wooden floors.
Renovated ceiling cornices recreate the original interior decor. Upholstered furniture, a floor mirror, a ceiling lamp in the kitchen and other details were restored and sufficiently integrated into a renovated interior. Meanwhile, series of metal furniture (two coffee tables and two night stands).Two works of art generally capture the essence of the design: a gray canvas in the spirit of abstract expressionism, and a fragment of Bartolomeo Cavarozzi’s “The Holy Family with St. Helena”.
