Small Apartment in Prague Is Redesigned As a Minimalist Haven

'Home' is not merely a structure where we happen to go to sleep at night -- it's a state of feeling that one belongs to a space that we call our own, or a certain place. Often, we view the home as a place where we can rest, relax, and let our guard down to fully be ourselves. And more often than not, the personality and functionality of the place where we call 'home' is influenced by our personal routines, our likes and dislikes -- thus creating a unique haven where we can retreat to.

In Prague, the Czech firm boq architekti has created a micro-sized sanctuary for a young man who travels a lot for work, but who also loves to entertain friends when he is back at home. Dubbed Mužské doupě ("Man's Lair"), the original layout of the 387-square-foot apartment (36 square meters) had divided the space into two separate areas.

The new layout by the architects doesn't venture too much from this original two-part division, which includes a sleeping, lounging and work area that is distinct from the cooking and eating area, in order to best suit the young man's itinerant and socially active lifestyle. However, small but significant changes were made to ensure that various activities can run smoothly in the space, whether it's hosting guests or watching television.

For example, the kitchen has been redesigned as the heart of the apartment, thanks to the inclusion of a "centerpiece" of a kitchen island that functions as a surface to eat or have some drinks, or to cook meals. Admittedly, kitchen islands aren't always the best design solution, but here it seems to make sense: the oven, microwave and storage has been pushed to the sides of the room, while all the action is now located in the middle of the space.

A sleek cooktop and minimalist range hood have been integrated in, so that the client can cook facing the middle of the room, and won't have to turn his back on his guests, or miss any of the conversation. It would also allow him to look out the window while preparing food, rather than at a wall. The active feel of the space is heightened by the use of elevated bar chairs, rather than lower height chairs that might feel more static and less flexible.

Bright white cabinets are contrasted with dark countertops and warm wooden elements, and hidden LED strip lighting, to give the entire space a modern look and feel.

In the adjacent room, the living room and bedroom have been amalgamated into one space, but the use of full length sliding partitions between the two functions helps to maintain some privacy. Nevertheless, there is one part of this moving wall that has clear glass, so that morning sun can still get in, without compromising on that privacy.

The living room is dominated by a large grey couch, and a custom-made desk off to the side. The desk has a cleverly designed, white oversized drawer underneath that allows the user to store things away and reduce clutter.

The shape of the desk also serves to hide the radiator from view a bit, so that the desk is the focus of attention instead.

The huge sliding doors leading to the bed also allow the young man to sleep during the day if need be, due to his irregular work and travel schedule, without impinging on his partner's routines in the apartment.

In addition, there is a wardrobe to store clothes here, and another spot behind the head of the bed to store linens.

There's yet another interesting feature, say the architects:

"At the level of the partition wall, the projection screen with back-projection is considered to ensure the possibility of watching movies from both the living room and the bedroom."

It's a pretty smart idea, to design for the possibility of a multifunctional projection screen that can be viewed from either spot, making entertainment and leisure one of the priorities of this sleek sanctuary. Improving its functionality, the apartment has now been upgraded into a modern micro-living space that can accommodate a variety of routines, no matter what time of day. To see more, visit boq architekti.