Byt K Brno – a symphony of wood and concrete in a new residential complex

The apartment emerging in a new development project in Brno was from the very beginning intended for rental. The client sought the help of Ing. Arch. Radka Sládeček with a relatively precise vision of the apartment's furnishings, and initially, their collaboration was supposed to revolve more around the basic layout proposal. During their cooperation, the architect and client ultimately concluded that it would be interesting to design and furnish the apartment without significant restrictions and thus offer rental at the highest level. Thanks to the very accommodating approach of the project's architects, the developer, and the execution company, as well as the client, architect Sládeček successfully implemented the design within the client's changes without any compromises.

The original layout with a smaller entrance hallway and a separate wardrobe accessible from the bedroom was simplified. The apartment now has an entrance through a spacious entrance hall with built-in wardrobes and a large mirror. The main intention was to connect the entire apartment into a unified whole in terms of feeling. The bathroom, including the adjoining tall kitchen cabinets, is thus lined with veneered panels, acting as a materially distinct element/mass inserted into the continuous space of the apartment. The entire apartment is also unified by a ceiling of exposed concrete, which was left in this working interim stage during the realization. It was originally planned to be plastered. The bathroom is naturally lit by a skylight. This element also enhances the connection of the visible ceiling, which clearly passes from the living area into the bathroom. In the furniture, white vertical surfaces are combined with horizontal surfaces made of oak veneer. The same material and format of oak planks are used for the flooring, thus maximizing the material unity of the whole space. For the endpoints of the electrical installation – switches and sockets – architect Sládeček chose devices from the berker R.1 series by Hager, specifically in a white and black combination according to the substrate. The architect intentionally installed the devices in multi-gang frames and chose visible sockets with a cover. These assemblies result in a very clean appearance and significantly enhance the mood of the apartment. "Switches and sockets today serve not only as functional elements but also as crucial details that connect the overall concept of the building and complete the final impression of the interior," explains Thomas Grund, CEO of Hager Electro in the Czech Republic. "The berker R.1 switches are instantly recognizable by the circular rocker in the middle of the square frame. The simplicity of the shape is balanced by interesting materials in which the switches in this series are available – from high-quality plastic and glass to concrete, various types of metals, or even colored acrylic. With these switches, we are celebrating success among architects worldwide," adds Thomas Grund.

The implementation of Apartment K by Ing. Arch. Radka Sládeček was nominated for the Interior of the Year competition, announced by the Institute of Interior Design. As part of the Interior of the Year competition, exceptional private and public interiors designed by Czech and Slovak architects (both at home and abroad) are awarded annually. The aim of the competition is to promote original housing, as well as exceptional design of shops, public spaces, hotels, or restaurants, and to influence the general public through the informed opinion of a professional jury – bringing inspiration and setting trends. The results will be announced at the international housing congress Living Forum.

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