do it yourself - Conversion of a House from the 1920s

Task. A terrace house in a co-operative settlement from the 1920s changed hands: the house has to be renovated and adjusted to the requirements of the new proprietor.

Situation. Two existing levels with identical plans and the classic housing standards: Kitchen, hall, bathroom, two rooms.

Concept – Living as a process. The shell with its partition walls is reduced to its constructive minimum. The ground floor was opened up to create a large general space: open, light, with no obvious orientation to the street, the garden and the other rooms. The spatial definition of this platform is left to the users. Not architecture but a principle is the subject of this design project. It deals with the aesthetics of utilization, not with codifying the aesthetics of the objects.
No fixed elements are placed onto the platform. The kitchen elements, otherwise clearly defining the plan, are now mobile and may be arranged in optional positions on the platform. Any additional furniture can be adjusted to the new situation. We do not predetermine a strict sequence of space and organization – we offer a functionally and formally open system.
The visitors’ evasive demands constantly produce new combinations. Only the use of the principle opens up the sensual potentials of the space – “do it yourself”.

Everything is possible. Fed up with the same old arrangement of your furniture? Need a change? Everything can be different in just ten minutes. You need more space? Simply move the elements from the centre to the side and there will be enough room for dancing, working or just empty space. Tomorrow there will be a party in your garden - why not take your kitchen with you?

Kitchen elements. The kitchen were developed especially for this project. They are made of industrially manufactured kitchen elements of stainless steel. Their sides are clad with stainless steel sheets. The sinks are evenly built into the worktop. The armatures are of stainless steel and were taken from the gastronomy business. Heavy-duty rollers allow a spontaneous rearrangement. The kitchens are extremely robust, appear neutral, and will be charged with the every-day aesthetics of crates, dustbins and mixed materials of varied electronic devices in time.

PRIVATE Sliding wall content \l 1 “Sliding wall”. Its visual and spatial option turns the former semi-detached house into a single-family house by connecting the spaces. Open during the summer, it offers thermic protection in the winter.

PRIVATE Service boxes content \l 1 “Service boxes”. They offer junctions for the kitchen elements (drainage, water supply, electricity) at three different spots. They are covered with coloured and transparent industrial tarpaulin. These transparent partitions are equipped with Velcro fasteners which allow easy access to the installations. The elements can be joint effortlessly to the supplying system by coupling devices. The standard programme of the industrial production was applied.

PRIVATE Electric supply content \l 1 “Electric supply”. Lighting fittings are suspended from the ceiling to allow a variable illumination. These tracks also supply electricity all along the worktop. In case of a rearrangement the supplying elements can be dismounted and plugged in as needed.

do it yourself: