A disadvantaged inner-city space can also become a luminous, exceptional home.
Or: A luminous home from a disadvantaged but excellently located inner-city space.
This apartment is an excellent example of how a dark, closed floor plan can be radically transformed through the reorganization of light and space. Originally, half of the two-winged layout remained in shadow due to the enclosed walls of the central lightwell.
The structural characteristics of the attic above allowed this part of the building to be opened with glass, creating a dynamic living space with basilica-like natural light. The open-top lightwell provides a unique interior experience: sunlight, rain, or even snowfall can be directly perceived in the center of the space.
With a centrally placed walkway grid, the lightwell was transformed into an exciting interior atrium. The resulting loft space is open and traversable, yet allows for rooms to be separated as needed. Built-in, hidden storage systems enabled the use of clean, generous furniture, preserving the apartment’s sense of spaciousness and clarity.