Located in the southwestern region of Slovakia, Trnava is an old city known for impressive, historic and baroque architectural styles and wine. Amidst this sits Kilo/Honč‘s transformation of a century-old house into a flexible and open home for a young family, aptly named Apartment 1903.
Entry via a private courtyard hints at the spacious and open plan layout. The entrance leads to the kitchen and dining area, calm and abundant in muted tones, except for the presence of luscious green potted plants. The large volumes and airy spaces are deliberate, providing multiple viewpoints from the front to the rear of the apartment in its entirety. Kilo/Honč employed design simplicity to emanate a feeling of joy and delight.
The apartment floor plan was arranged to be open and flexible. Instead of solid walls, partitions are made up of glazed raw-steel frames and muted grey curtains used to enable a variety of spatial configurations. Intimacy and privacy are achieved when the curtains are drawn, and the interior’s expanse is realised when the curtains are retracted.
The reconstruction and transformation of the 120-year-old structure was based on using geometric forms. This is evident in the high ceilings, steel-reinforced door, wall frames, the shape of the furniture used, and the herringbone flooring pattern. Originated in Europe during the Baroque period, the flooring design pays homage to the original style and the surrounding historical design period.
All the furniture was chosen to achieve a sense of cosy atmosphere while emphasising the idea of adaptability instead of solidifying each space with a predetermined function. The u-shaped dining table plays on the concept of entertainment but also provides flexibility as the young family grows. Similarly, the children’s playroom can easily be modified in the future and turned into a bedroom.
Flexible space is the driving force of Apartment 1903. Kilo / Honč added modern and contemporary layers fit for the personalities and lifestyles of the occupants while retaining the timber beam ceiling in homage to the period in which the home was originally built.