Architecture studio Ductus has designed an apartment complex coated with a monochrome red plaster facade into a sloping site in Schwarzenburg, Switzerland.
Located on the outskirts of the village of Schwarzenburg in eastern Switzerland, the complex was designed by Ductus to have the appearance of a series of intersecting blocks of various heights that protrude and recede throughout the design.
The red plaster-covered block was has a blocky appearance
Accommodating 16 apartments, the complex comprises two buildings sat perpendicular to one another that are connected by a shared garden.
Balconies constructed from pressure-impregnated white fir and green columns contrast with the red plaster facade and overlook the garden and neighbouring buildings.
Adjoining balconies are constructed from pressure-impregnated white fir, which contrast with the red facade
Flat roofs lined with untreated copper top the apartment complex, which distinguishing it from the surrounding more traditional pitched-roof buildings.
On the exterior, untreated copper was also used for downpipes, while red-toned window frames and mechanical shutters match the plaster’s colour.
Within the apartments, textured white walls were set off by wooden flooring, while stylish bathrooms were characterised by red-toned fittings and decorative tiles to match the facade.
Bright living spaces are lit by floor-to-ceiling doors that also provide access to the adjacent balconies.
The complex contains 16 apartments split across two buildings
“All 17 apartments were designed as condominiums,” Ductus partner Marcel Hauert told Dezeen.
“The client’s desire was for all buyers to determine the interior finishes themselves. We provided a basic concept that could be adapted virtually without restrictions.”
Red-toned fittings and tiles feature in the bathroom
Ductus is an architecture studio operating between Sweden and Switzerland.
Elsewhere in Switzerland, BE Architektur recently used intersecting sculptural blocks to form a barn-like house and Enrico Sassi has transformed a wood store into a micro home.
Bespoke scalloped edges and a Verner Panton S-Chair feature at the Pops holiday apartment in Kraków, which Furora Studio designed to be more playful than a permanent home.
Named Pops after lollipops, the dwelling was conceived by Diana Żurek and Gutek Girek of Polish firm Furora Studio.
“The project is a temporary apartment for anyone who wants to spend time in an attractive and very sugary interior,” said the designers.
Pops is a holiday apartment in central Kraków
Spread across one level of a multi-storey building in central Kraków, the rental home includes an open-plan kitchen and living room.
This space was dressed with a velvety salmon-pink curtain, which stretches the length of one of two of the walls, and a central display cabinet finished in pistachio green and “crowned with frills”.
Furniture including a decorative display cabinet was custom-made by Furora Studio
Much of the furniture and other design elements were custom-made by Furora Studio and follow the same toy-like geometry as the cabinet – a combination of round and wavy motifs created in pastel pinks, greens and creams.
For example, a white and turquoise pendant light with scalloped edges was suspended above a circular dining table, while a ribbed half-moon alcove was created as a backdrop for the wall-mounted television.
Pastel hues define the apartment
“First and foremost, we aimed to find suitable forms,” said Żurek, describing the studio’s starting point for the project.
“Most of the elements were custom-made because we wanted to maintain the coherence of the interior while ensuring proper functional arrangement,” she told Dezeen.
“Essentially, each element was its own small project. The selection of shapes, milling, small details, and perfecting the form – all of these were important considerations.”
A ribbed, half-moon alcove was created as a backdrop for the television
An olive-hued, L-shaped sofa was tucked into one corner of the living space and echoed by the kitchen splashback, finished in the same green colour.
Żurek described the apartment’s double bedroom as “a pink box with a whimsical headboard and an abundance of pillows”.
Designer Diana Żurek described the bedroom as “a pink box”
In one corner, a light green built-in desk was positioned in front of a sculptural Verner Panton chair.
The iconic S-shaped seating was originally designed by Panton in the early 1960s and recently influenced the furniture created for the Dreamhouse at the centre of the set design in this year’s Barbie film.
“We rarely have the opportunity to be in interiors that evoke memories of earlier years, when as children, we had few responsibilities and sought joy and playfulness,” noted Żurek.
“But this is not about returning to preschool or infantilising the space,” stressed the designer.
“It’s about positive energy. We sought solutions that would more literally create a colorful space, full of rounded patterns, light colours and a sense of relief,” she added.
The studio added a Verner Panton chair to the apartment
The bathroom is also awash with pattern, featuring a jumbo scalloped-edged cabinet and pink and brown terrazzo tiles.
Bulbous pendant lighting illuminates the space, which contains a walk-in shower.
Summarising the holiday apartment, Żurek called it a place to “have fun and cuddle”.
“Certainly, there are many enthusiasts of such candy-like solutions, but this interior may not be for everyone, especially for long-term use, such as in the case of a private home,” reflected the designer.
“For short-term rentals, I believe most people would be tempted to experience how it feels to be in such a vibrant interior,” she added.
“These projects allow for the use of [design] solutions that might be somewhat tiring on a daily basis, but spending a brief moment in such a place opens us up to new experiences, feelings of peace and relaxation.”
A jumbo scalloped-edged cabinet features in the bathroom
Elsewhere in Kraków, London-based office Studio Mills transformed an apartment at a converted monastery into a family home. Polish practice Projekt Praga created a bar with a self-service beer fountain within the taproom of a centuries-old brewery just outside of the city.
HAMS and, Studio’s One Nuance rearranges apartment’s layout
HAMS and, Studio takes over the renovation of an apartment in Tokyo‘s suburbs, tailoring it for a forward-looking, flexible lifestyle. The project revamps the rigid grid plan and introduces subtle variations, or ‘nuances’, in spatial composition, color, and materials. The aim is to create an adaptable living space that accommodates the diverse activities of a working couple. Embracing the unique features of the corner-room layout, the design eliminates the original corridors, replacing them with smaller rooms arranged along the exterior walls. This transformation creates a bright, open area, enhancing the sense of overall spaciousness.
all images by Akira Nakamura
subtle textures and unified color palette adorn the living space
The living room, designed as an open zone, connects directly to the smaller rooms, fostering a lively and relaxed atmosphere. The double-opening design, incorporating ‘outer openings’ for light and ‘inner openings’ framing living activities, adds continuity and expansiveness to the interior space. The inner facade varies in appearance based on the purpose of each room and the type of partition used, creating nuanced viewports within the home. The design team opts for different finishes, such as robust plastering for the internal walls and glossy solid finishes for passages to the living room. These subtle textures, along with a unified color palette adorn the flexible living space, offering inhabitants a dynamic environment.
the unique double-opening design of ‘inner and outer openings’ creates continuity and expansiveness
the ‘outer openings’ bring natural light inside the space and ‘inner openings’ frame living activities
depending on the purpose of the smaller rooms, the inner openings change in form
Architecture firm K.A Studio has designed the remodel of an apartment building in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, that included the addition of green space.
In an area filled with concrete and hard lines, this updated apartment building, which is now used for staycations, has been designed as an oasis in the city, with the curved balconies creating a soft edge on the facade.
Overhanging plants cascade down the side of the building, while taller plants add different layers and grow up between the voids created by the balconies.
The underside of the balconies is lined with wood, adding to the natural look of the building.
At night, uplighting creates shadows on the balconies above.
The balconies overlook a pool that’s located on the ground floor and has curves that mimic the exterior of the building.
Throughout the building materials like woods, local split stones, concrete, terrazzo, and rattan are featured.
Bright hallways with lighting embedded in the concrete floors, and in the ceiling, guide guests to their private apartments.
The apartments are minimal in their design, with simple wood furniture in the living room, and a kitchenette.
In the bedroom, a horizontal wood accent above the bed hides LED Lighting, which also complements the lighting on the opposite wall. There’s also a floating wood desk that lines the wall, and a sliding door opens to a balcony.
Photograph: Hiroyuki Oki | Architects: K.A Studio | Lead Architects: Doan Quoc Khanh | Design team: Dang Anh Khoa, Hoang Anh Dung, Tran Quoc Nhat, Le Duc Duy | Construction: La Maison Du K
Gut-renovating this São Paulo apartment has allowed Brazilian studio Pascali Semerdjian Arquitetos to incorporate the personalities of it occupants, particularly in the bedrooms of the family’s two children.
The Aurora Apartment is home to a family of four, and sits on a private street in the Alto de Pinheiros neighbourhood to the west of the city.
Renovating the Aurora Apartment involved opening up the living spaces
A total overhaul of the residence was needed to open up its spaces, bring in more light, and incorporate new materials and decor that reflect the owners’ tastes.
Without complete structural plans of the apartment or building, the demolition process revealed multiple hidden elements.
The dining room is sometimes used for business meetings and dinners
Only when the apartment had been fully stripped back to its bare bones was Pascali Semerdjian Arquitetos able to design the floor plan to work around the structure.
“When we saw the remaining columns and slabs, we were able to continue sketching the client’s necessities as well as our ideas onto paper,” said the studio.
A wall panel opens to reveal a hidden home bar
Once the layout was “settled”, the architects began to examine the walls and space volumetrically to discover ways to add interesting design moments that would reveal more about the family.
“One of the most important things about this project is how every single space, both social and private, has the family personality, with a unique design that results in harmony with the whole,” said Pascali Semerdjian Architects.
Close to the entrance, a gridded cabinet houses a coat closet
The apartment is divided into a large, open social space that’s occasionally used for hosting business meeting and dinners, and a private area that contains the bedrooms and bathrooms.
“We wanted to create two universes in the same apartment: an intimate and cozy one, and another minimalist and social,” the studio said.
Pascali Semerdjian Arquitetos has played with volumes and materials throughout the apartment
Dark wood panelling lines the entryway, concealing a storage area for keys and shoes, and the same floor-to-ceiling wood panels are used in the corner of the dining room. Here, a hidden door swings open to reveal a bar, and a brass container built into a plastered counter serves as a cooler for bottles.
Stone flooring in the living area is laid in thin planks to match the pattern of the wooden boards that run through the private spaces.
Designed during the pandemic, the apartment contains several multifunctional spaces
Several classic midcentury designs were chosen for the living space, including Jean Prouvé dining chairs and a pair of salmon-coloured Ondine armchairs by Jorge Zalszupin.
These are mixed in with contemporary furnishings like the Thin Black side tables by Nendo and a leather chaise by Studiopepe.
A variety of furniture and lighting pieces custom-designed by Pascali Semerdjian also feature in the apartment, such as the main sofa, the office chairs, and the bar sconces.
There’s also a coat closet housed within a gridded cabinet, which is affixed to a mirror and features a cluster of square lights in its top right corner.
In the home’s private section, the primary bedroom is minimally decorated
In the private quarters, the primary suite is minimally finished in white and wood surfaces, while the children’s rooms are much more expressive.
For example, the younger son’s room is designed to resemble a small house, formed from wood panelling that covers the walls and is pitched on the ceiling.
Natural light floods the primary bedroom when its sliding wooden doors are opened
His bed and a sofa are raised to create space for a “hide-and-seek” tunnel underneath, while the older daughter’s room includes arched white closets.
“We seek to bring originality to all rooms, with special attention to the children’s room, where we’ve pursued solutions that are close to playful, without exaggeration,” Pascali Semerdjian said.
The bedroom of the family’s younger son is designed like a house
The renovation work began during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, so special attention was paid to creating multifunctional spaces.
“The project seeks to balance and bring fluidity between the different possible uses of a house, allowing residents to experience moments together as well as the possibility of having privacy, including the couple,” said the architects.
The son’s bed and a sofa are raised to accommodate a hide-and-seek tunnel underneath
Pascali Semerdjian Arquitetos was founded by Domingos Pascali and Sarkis Semerdjian in 2010, and the studio has renovated many apartments across São Paulo.
They include a residence imbued with a “deeply Brazilian and vividly cosmopolitan” flavour and a home organised around a semi-circular wooden library.
Local studio Mesura has designed a live-work home for a gallery owner that combines exhibition space with living quarters in a former factory in Barcelona.
Casa Vasto is situated in the city’s seaside neighbourhood El Poblenou, characterised by its 18th-century industrial buildings that were deindustrialised in the 1960s and 70s.
Unfurnished areas serve as exhibition space
The apartment is located in one of these former factories and comprises two spaces – the public living and kitchen area that also houses gallery exhibitions, and the private bedroom and bathroom that are reserved solely for the owner’s use.
A service core made from birch wood divides the space without being attached to the walls or to the ceiling, which has an unusual vaulted design characteristic of factories built in Barcelona in the 19th century. This channels services to the kitchen and bathroom components and contains a toilet, shower and storage.
Bespoke furniture sits alongside design classics
On one side of the core is the living and gallery space. This has plenty of space to hold exhibitions and is filled with monolithic furnishings that create functional zones, including a long dining table with cylindrical legs and a blocky stainless-steel kitchen island.
A low, sprawling sofa defines the lounge area, which centres around a coffee table fashioned from waste material created during the apartment’s construction by designer Sara Regal.
Low-lying furnishings underline the height of the space and the unique ceiling
Artworks and furniture have been arranged throughout the space, which was curated in collaboration between the owners and Mesura.
“The project’s interior design is reinterpreted as a constellation of unique objects detached from the apartment’s limits,” said Mesura.
“These elements contrast with the white-washed walls and light-wood furnishings to emerge as accents of colour and form, weaving a cohesive and contemporary identity throughout the project, drawing focus to the pieces and artwork.”
The minimalistic kitchen unit shares the central core’s oblong profile
Bespoke pieces custom-made for Casa Vasto are flanked by iconic design classics, such as architect Mies van der Rohe’s MR10 Chair and architect Mario Botta’s Seconda Chai.
“Some of the interior pieces were specifically designed for the space – kitchen, dining table, service core, bathtub – and the others – sofas, chairs, lighting – were more of a process with the clients, who had their own preferences and interests,” Mesura told Dezeen.
Frames are hung on the walls in the bedroom, which also contains two sinks and a bathtub encased in blocky concrete volumes.
As in the rest of the space, rectangular windows extend from floor level to let natural light into the space.
The bed, bath and sink unit are all custom-made for the project
“We think the pieces selected for the interiors create a comfortable and unique atmosphere when in touch with the bespoke furniture we designed for the project,” the studio told Dezeen.
Other adaptive reuse apartment projects on Dezeen include an apartment in a converted bank office by Puntofilipino and a flat in a former chocolate factory by SSdH.
BIRI Revitalizes Oscar Niemeyer’s JK Housing Complex
BIRI Arquitetura takes over the semi-duplex renovation of the Governador Juscelino Kubitschek housing complex in Brazil. The complex, originally designed by architect Oscar Niemeyer in 1951, comprises a ground-floor commercial area and two prominent residential towers, adding character to the Belo Horizonte skyline, offering a total of 1086 apartments. In 2022, the JK building received recognition from the Cultural Heritage Council of Belo Horizonte, solidifying its historic significance. The project revolves around the semi-duplex of block B, one of the 13 distinct typologies of JK apartments. This typology, initially conceived by Niemeyer for the Quitandinha hotel in Petrópolis and later adapted to Minas Gerais’ capital, employs the ‘section planning’ technique, an approach dating back to the 19th century. This strategy not only optimizes spatial arrangements but also enhances privacy, thermal comfort, and natural ventilation by minimizing collective circulation.
restoring Spatial Horizontality through versatile furniture
The renovation proposes an enhancement of the apartment’s east facade, transforming it into a balcony/garden area, and replacing a section of the natural wooden parquet floor with hydraulic tiles to facilitate plant care. The kitchen floor is similarly updated to combat humidity issues. Adjacent to the hydraulic plumbing, the intervention reinforces spatial horizontality through multifunctional furniture design. This piece serves as a versatile storage unit, alternately functioning as a shelf, archive, office, cabinet, wet bench, oven, pantry, and wine cellar, maintaining unity in materiality and proportions. The design team ensures cohesion by fenestrating the dividing wall of the stairs with an oval shape, fashioned from weathering steel.
On the upper half-level, a headboard/gallery is crafted using marine plywood, and the existing joinery is revitalized. Additionally, the original concrete structure is exposed to create a contrast against the masonry’s thickness and tone. The revealing of support infrastructure is intentionally carried through the apartment renovation.
the kitchen floor is coated with hydraulic tiles to combat humidity issues
the original concrete structure is exposed to create a contrast against the masonry’s thickness and tones
the versatile furniture functions as a shelf, archive, and office
Walnut burl and terrazzo accents are combined with chunky statement furniture in this apartment in Warsaw, which Polish studio Mistovia has renovated for an art director and her pet dachshund.
Located in the city’s Praga Północ neighbourhood, the 45-square-metre flat is set within a 1950s estate designed by Polish architects Jerzy Gieysztor and Jerzy Kumelowski.
The Warsaw apartment was renovated by Mistovia
Mistovia devised an eclectic material and colour palette when updating the interior, which the studio describes as an “elaborate puzzle” of contrasting patterns.
“The apartment is based on several dominant ‘cubes’,” said Mistovia founder Marcin Czopek. “Each of them has a different function, accentuated by various patterns through the use of veneer or colour.”
Panels of swirly grey wood veneer feature in the living space
The living room is defined by a wall panelled in swirly grey wood veneer– originally designed by Memphis Group founder Ettore Sottsass for Alpi in the 1980s – while the bathroom is obscured behind a wall of glass blocks.
The kitchen is now connected to the lounge to create one open-plan space, filled with statement pieces including a misshapen vase and the molten-looking Plopp stool by Polish designer Oskar Zieta, set against the backdrop of floor-to-ceiling walnut-burl cabinets.
A tortoiseshell cabinet defines the bathroom
Terrazzo was used to form chunky black-and-white legs for the kitchen’s window-side breakfast bar as well as an entire burnt-orange table in the dining area.
“A muted base – bright, uniform micro cement flooring and walls with a delicate texture – allowed for the use of geometric forms, rich in interesting structures and bold patterns,” Czopek said.
Designed for an art director and her dog, the apartment features a similarly striking bathroom.
Here, gridded monochrome tiles and glass-brick walls are paired with a statement standalone sink, featuring squat cobalt-blue legs that support a tortoiseshell cabinet crowned by a triptych mirror.
The single bedroom includes purple and marble accents
A purple wardrobe complements the rectilinear marble headboard in the apartment’s singular bedroom, adding to the boxy geometry of the home.
Also in Warsaw, Polish studio Projekt Praga incorporated mid-century elements and pops of colour into a dumpling restaurant while local firm Noke Architects referenced the high waters of Venice in a bar complete with sea-green floors and skirting tiles.
Black wood and asphalt shingles clad the exterior of the Polker housing block by architect and developer SinHei Kwok, who took cues from historic “pyramid cottages” while conceiving the project.
The historic Garfield neighbourhood – which has been undergoing revitalisation – is located near downtown Phoenix and is known for its modest, 20th-century homes designed in various styles. Of particular note are the district’s “pyramid cottages”, so named for their distinctive hipped roofs.
The Polker home aims to provide an alternative to urban sprawl
SinHei Kwok – whose multidisciplinary studio is based in Phoenix and Hong Kong – purchased a standard lot in the Garfield district and embarked on creating a multi-family development that respects its milieu.
“Inspired by the 100-year-old pyramid cottages within the historic neighbourhood, the building’s massing takes cues from the surrounding context,” said Kwok, who served as the architect and developer.
Asphalt shingles cover the exterior
One of the project’s main goals was to offer an alternative to the sprawl that characterises the Phoenix metropolitan area, which the architect described as an “unsustainable phenomenon”
“Phoenix has been infamous for urban sprawl with single-family housing developments since the 1950s,” the architect said.
“This project served as a prototype of urban infill development to help build a sustainable, walkable city.”
It contains six housing units
For the rectangular property – which measures 140 feet by 50 feet (43 by 15 metres) – the architect conceived a long, two-storey building that contains six rental units. The building’s pitched roof is meant to reference the historic pyramid cottages.
Slightly different facade treatments were used around the building.
Stucco covers one elevation
On the north- and south-facing elevations, the roof and exterior walls are wrapped in variegated asphalt shingles. The east wall is clad in black wood, while the western facade is covered in vanilla stucco and features a horizontal window.
“Inspired by Chinese landscape paintings, the horizontal shape of the window facing west captures the constantly changing skyline of downtown while limiting heat gain from the summer sun,” said Kwok.
The entire building totals 4,250 square feet (395 square metres). Within the units, one finds fluid layouts and a restrained material palette.
Interior elements include concrete flooring, concrete-block walls and a steel staircase. For the bathroom shower, Kwok used exterior-grade, aluminium-composite panels to eliminate grout joints and “provide a clean, modern look”.
Different materials were applied to different facades
All of the apartments have two levels, with the public area located on the ground floor. The upper level – traditionally used as an attic in the historic cottages – holds either a single loft-style room or two bedrooms and a bathroom.
In addition to a small parking lot with permeable paving, the site offers pockets of private and shared outdoor space.
The home has concrete block interior walls
All units have covered patios accessed by sliding glass doors, enabling a connection between inside and out.
Along the eastern elevation, which faces a street, Kwok carved out an outdoor space that serves as a reinterpretation of the iconic front porches found in the historic neighbourhood. The flooring is a 30-foot-wide (nine-metre) concrete slab that cantilevers over the ground.
The studio added a steel staircase
“Our approach kept the same front-porch concept, encouraging dwellers to meet and interact with their neighbors,” said Kwok.
“During nighttime, it becomes a floating porch, with LED lights that light up below the slab.”
This is the second project by SinHei Kwok in Phoenix’s historic Garfield neighbourhood. For a compact site there, the architect and developer created a pair of apartment buildings that have M-shaped roofs and asphalt-shingle cladding.
Design architect, developer and owner: Sin Hei Kwok Associate architect: Yin Pang Structural engineer: Struktur Studio MEP/FP engineer: Otterbein Engineering Contractor: Beckett Construction
Ecuador-based JAG Studio photographs a timber intervention dubbed ‘501’ within Quito’s pixelated IQON tower, a residential project completed recently by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG). This interior space is designed by a team led by Juan Alberto Andrade with the aim of maximizing utility and creating adaptable spaces that allow for the fluid integration of different activities. The core concept behind the ‘501’ apartment is to prioritize the flexibility of useful space by introducing volumes that are both inhabitable and reconfigurable.
The architects have recognized that modern housing should be versatile, diverse, and capable of accommodating transformations over time. Embracing this concept, JAG Studio has designed a space that is neutral and configurable, offering a canvas for inhabitants to tailor the environment according to their needs.
Juan Alberto Andrade transforms a bjarke ingels apartment
At the heart of the ‘501’ apartment in Bjarke Ingels’ Ecuador tower, Juan Alberto Andrade incorporates two containing pieces that allow for various activities within one harmonious place. These ‘Stations’ and ‘Substations’ provide distinct zones that cater to different functions. The Stations are identified as ‘a: room’ and ‘b: music studio,’ each serving as dedicated spaces for specific purposes. On the other hand, the Substations — labeled as a1, a2, a3, a4; b1, b2 — offer the flexibility to include diverse uses. This arrangement allows for a seamless transition from spaces designed for permanence and privacy to those that cater to professional activities.
integrated furniture solutions
The Ecuador-based architects integrate thoughtfully-crafted furniture solutions into the design of the ‘501’ apartment to make the most of the available space. The Stations include a pull-out bed system, offering an efficient way to optimize sleeping arrangements while freeing up floor area during the day. Additionally, a unit featuring a working table, seats, and multiple storage and shelving equipment crafted from laminated boards, green-tinted boards, and four-milimeter metal sheets brings practicality and elegance to the living space.
The beauty of the ‘501’ apartment lies in its adaptability to change and the range of possibilities it presents. By creating a space that can be reconfigured and tailored to the inhabitants’ needs, JAG Studio has successfully bridged the gap between contemporary dynamics and habitability in the bustling city of Quito, Ecuador.
the compact dwelling can be freed up with built-in, collapsable furniture two ‘stations’ can each be transformed for different uses a keyboard is hidden away in the ‘music studio’ station
a keyboard is hidden away in the ‘music studio’ station