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¯I site plan
Plan: IFUB* I¯

Apartment S


Apartment renovation in an Art Déco Villa in west Vienna.

Location: 13th district, 1130 Vienna, Austria

Year: 2013 - 2015

In collaboration with: Architect DI Barbara Fenzl, Vienna (contracting, award, site management)

Client: private

In press:DA! Jahrbuch Architektur Berlin 2016, 99% Design magazine, &Living 2/2016, Atrium 6/2016, Elle Decoration China 1/2017, Schöner Wohnen Österreich 3/2017, Das ideale Heim Spezial - Bäder Nr. 79, CUBE Magazine 04/21
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¯I The owners in the kitchen
Photo: Sorin Morar I¯
In terms of housing and architecture, Vienna has a long and unique history. Not only because of the countless number of co-operatively owned rental properties available, but because of gems like this

Art Deco Villa, built in 1931,

which consists of three privately owned apartments. The clients and owners of the ground floor have occupied their apartment since 2013. Up until the IFUB* was commissioned for the redesign, it was almost continually lived in and had been maintained in a comfortable but worn condition. When developing the new design, crucial factors like past design interventions and childhood memories needed to be considered alongside the intrinsic characteristics of the basic structure.
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¯I graphic concept
Graphic: IFUB* I¯
When asked what appealed to them in terms of design and architecture, the clients brought up the movie "Metropolis," and keywords like the Bonn Bundestag and historic train compartments. All of these somewhat diverse and unusual aesthetic ideas were kept close in mind when developing the sophisticated

design concept.

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¯I living room before renovations
Photo: owner I¯
The apartment itself was one of the most important sources of

inspiration.

To restore the original character in as sustainable a way as possible, many original materials and built-in features were preserved. Examples include the exposing and refurbishing of the parquet floors and the old borders on the walls. Although the wallpaper was removed and the walls re-plastered, the decorative borders were reincorporated as part of the new lighting concept.
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¯I kitchen before renovations
Photo: owner I¯
The kitchen felt uninviting and was actually designed as staff kitchen. For this reason, it was fundamentally changed during the renovation. Yet, by preserving the original furniture like the fitted units, and restoring the existing floor, some of the

old charm

of the room has been retained.
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¯I bathroom before
Photo: owner I¯
The old toilets and bathrooms, which were completely outdated, were refitted and optimized. However, even here, old wall tiles were laboriously saved and

reused

elsewhere.
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¯I the entrance
Photo: Sorin Morar I¯
Today, a feeling of uncompromising spaciousness is met upon entering through the main door of the apartment. The entrance hall was

visually enlarged

using simple measures without any major modifications. Opposing mirrors infinitely extend the space, while the light gray walls, together with the white, illuminated ceiling, increase the lofty and open feel. The material features of brass knobs and handles from the front door are carried over to the wardrobe design.
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¯I the entrance
Photo: Sorin Morar I¯
Elegantly discreet: hiding behind the mirrored cupboards in the entrance are now all of the refitted

utilities and access points.

Centrally accessible, maximally space-saving and at the same time completely invisible.
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¯I the ceiling of the entrance
Photo: Sorin Morar I¯
The striking view to the

entrance hall ceiling

provides a graphic illumination.
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¯I leading to the kitchen
Photo: Sorin Morar I¯
From the entrance, the former lobby leads to the kitchen. An old family

kitchen cabinet

was integrated within the built-in furniture.
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¯I the apothecary cabinet
Photo: Sorin Morar I¯
By demolishing the dividing wall, the transition between the lobby and kitchen is now fluid. As part of the new space-forming white kitchen, in addition to ample storage and a rinsing niche, an extendable cupboard was integrated, which was baptized by the owners as

"the apothecary cabinet."

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¯I The apothecary
Photo: Sorin Morar I¯
The apothecary cabinet in

Detail.

The symbiosis of storage space and presentation attracts the eye.
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¯I overview of the kitchen
Photo: Sorin Morar I¯
The wall between the former staffroom and kitchen had to go. The only trace of this divide is the change in the flooring and the beams. While the

checkerboard tiles

were replaced and re-laid with underfloor heating, the parquet floor is completely original and only treated with a sympathetic restoration.
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¯I the kitchen island
photo: Sorin Morar I¯
The new heart of the apartment is the

kitchen island.

By merging the old kitchen with the former staffroom, a new space was created in which to cook, eat, meet, and relax.
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¯I view towards the dining area
Photo: Sorin Morar I¯
The view towards the dining room highlights the harmonious interplay of

old and new.

Built-in wardrobe to the front right, new fitted kitchen to the front left, integrated old kitchen furniture, center left.
A brand new stainless steel sink, custom-made to meet the client’s specifications, was installed into the rinsing niche.
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¯I view of the kitchen
Photo: Sorin Morar I¯
The kitchen at a glance. Above the central kitchen island is a black-lacquered

suspended steel shelf

with storage lattices through which the old bunker lamps and the extraction hood are hung. The offset shape of the kitchen island’s steel base provides seating and the same form is also repeated in the hanging shelf.
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¯I the sink niche
Photo: Sorin Morar I¯
Revealing, radiating, reflecting? The backdrop and lighting by the sink

play with the perception

of the viewer.
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¯I worktop detail
Photo: Sorin Morar I¯
The kitchen in

detail.

The oak panel of the kitchen island is mirrored in the sink unit - but now with a stainless steel top surface.
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¯I the kitchen ceiling
Photo: Sorin Morar I¯
Here, too, a glance up to the

kitchen ceiling

reveals a graphic spectacle.
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¯I the bathroom
Photo: Sorin Morar I¯

The master bathroom

maintained a modest size and the original dimensions were kept. However an improved order and the expansive mirrored cabinet almost doubles the perceived space. The special trick here: an existing door to the library was preserved at the request of the client - but is now hidden behind a secret door in the left-hand side of the mirrored cabinet.
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¯I the bathroom
Photo: Sorin Morar I¯
The bathroom design follows the same principles as the kitchen and shower room. Unimposing surfaces in combination with black steel racks bring order and clarity to the rooms. The dark

Terrazzo

floor works perfectly with the color scheme and with an integrated drain, is incredibly easy to keep clean.
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¯I wash stand
Photo: Sorin Morar I¯
Small yet fine,

a detail

of the washbasin stand: A holder for toilet paper is elegantly incorporated.
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¯I the handrails
Photo: Sorin Morar I¯
Specially made

towel rails

were installed directly above the new radiators.
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¯I the faucets
Photo: Sorin Morar I¯
Appearing almost like a

spaceship,

the faucets meld with the mirror cabinet.
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¯I the shower room
Photo: Sorin Morar I¯
The former WC has been expanded into what was once the hallway, transforming it into a well-ordered, elongated

shower room.

The WC space was itself converted to the shower. The light terrazzo with the brightly plastered walls makes the narrow, elongated room look spacious and friendly.
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¯I tiles of the shower area
Photo: Sorin Morar I¯
In the shower room, a checkerboard pattern was created using the salvaged and cleaned-up

old tiles together with new tiles.

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¯I plastering and switches
Photo: Sorin Morar I¯
Both bathrooms were finished with a textural,

ridged plastering

on the walls, providing a pleasant feel. This effect was used almost up to the ceiling; the rest being finished in smooth plaster. The new light switches were selected to compliment the background.
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¯I the living room
Photo: Sorin Morar I¯
One of the owners regularly sits at his piano in the

living room

and enjoys the good acoustics.
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¯I wall and ceiling design
Photo: Sorin Morar I¯
Throughout the living area (living and dining room, library, bedroom, and guest room) a uniform

wall and ceiling design

was chosen. White walls were combined with gray ceilings, with the transition characterized by black borders that also serve as lighting strips. During the day, the brightness is most reflected and concentrated on the light walls, at night, the effect is balanced and somewhat reversed by the illuminated ceilings.
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¯I the fireplace
Photo: Sorin Morar I¯

The new fireplace

has been integrated into the design concept and now warms the living room in the cold winter months.
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¯I the library
Photo: Sorin Morar I¯

What the owners say:

“It was clear to us right from the beginning that, together with the IFUB*’s creative team, we would design a great apartment in an exciting environment that combined the past and the future. Of course, we could not have guessed that they would create an environment so inspiring for us. Many thanks to the great team of architects, our excellent site manager, and all the tradespeople involved!
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¯I floor plan before renovation
Plan: IFUB* I¯

floor plan before renovation

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¯I floor plan after renovation
Plan: IFUB* I¯

floor plan after renovation