Eliminate unnecessary spaces and maximizing available light while transparently showcasing the architectural interventions on the structure were the guiding principles behind the renovation of this mid-1960s apartment in the Città Studi district.

 

The "space" itself takes center stage in this project: when space is well-proportioned and thoughtfully balanced, the rest is mere decoration.

The apartment’s original layout featured a traditional long corridor, lined with full-height doors leading to three rooms, two bathrooms, and the kitchen, which consumed a significant amount of usable area. The aim was to transform the corridor into a livable space rather than a mere passageway. This residual elongated area was opened toward the south-facing part of the house, which now accommodates the living area and overlooks a tree-filled internal courtyard. Within this transformed corridor, service units housing a bathroom and laundry room were seamlessly integrated.

All newly added volumes in the home’s interstitial spaces are deliberately lower than the ceilings of the existing rooms, emphasizing their status as "new guests" in the space. Structural elements such as beams and pillars have been left exposed, while unmodified existing partitions have been painted burgundy, further distinguishing the original features from the new.

The two windowless bathrooms receive indirect light through sharp cuts of opaline glass, which accentuate their pure volumetric design. The kitchen, partially concealed by an existing partially open wall, allows indirect light to filter into the entry corridor via a fixed glass panel.

The colors and materials have been kept simple and restrained, applied with rational precision: white for the new volumes, burgundy for the existing partitions, and beige for the remaining walls. Tiles were used in wet areas such as the bathrooms, laundry, and kitchen, while parquet flooring was installed throughout the rest of the apartment, except in the master bedroom, which was made cozier with soft carpeting.

The furniture is predominantly family heirlooms, most of which are vintage or antique, blending discreetly into the carefully balanced and self-contained architectural framework.