Art Nouveau Riverfront Apartment
The renovation of an apartment in a historic tenement block on Masaryk Embankment in the centre of Prague, designed by architects Josef Brzák and František Weyr between 1903 and 1905, aimed not only to rework the layout and modernise the space, but above all to strike a balance. How could we bring contemporary life into an Art Nouveau building with romantic elements without stifling its historical spirit? The answer came from the space itself and its exceptional views of the Vltava, Žofín and the iconic Hradčany skyline.
Initial Condition
The original layout followed a typical arrangement for residential buildings from the early 20th century. Its three longitudinal zones comprised two interconnecting rooms facing the embankment, a central corridor ending in a bathroom against the gable wall, and service spaces facing the courtyard, including a maid’s room and one larger living room. The main aim of the renovation was to brighten the apartment and give it room to breathe. At the same time, the hierarchy of rooms was clarified and adapted to contemporary needs.
The Apartment’s Spine
We transformed the original corridor into a “spine” running through the apartment from the entrance to the main living space and kitchen. One side is unified by a run of bleached oak cabinetry concealing all the storage and technical facilities. Passages through this wall of cabinetry lead to bedrooms with their own bathrooms.
The widened entrance area is softened by fluted wall panelling and a large backlit circular mirror at the end of the corridor. Immediately beside the entrance, a guest toilet and shower are concealed within the cabinetry wall. Only a vertical brass handle distinguishes its door from the adjoining oak panels and cupboards.
Towards the quiet inner courtyard, the apartment takes on a calmer character. A recess within the cabinetry spine, fitted with restored historic doors, leads into the main bedroom. The former maid’s room has become a bright bathroom with a walk-in shower, accessed directly from the bedroom through a concealed door.
Another section of the cabinetry wall provides a discreet entrance to the child’s room. The built-in cabinetry also conceals a bathroom with a large bathtub and a dressing room.
Opening Up the Space and the Play of Light
The apartment’s central zone originally ended in a bathroom. By relocating it, we opened up this part of the apartment and connected it to the living space facing the river. This intervention brought light into the new layout and allowed us to reveal the barrel vault, beneath which tall kitchen cabinets now stand. The kitchen cabinetry extends into the dining room only discreetly, in the form of a long, low cabinet. The space is fluid and light-filled, yet the historic imprint of the original layout remains perceptible.
Removing the partition between the river-facing rooms created a generous living space that opens fully towards the embankment. Towards evening, sunlight casts shadows across the oak floor and walls, lending the minimalist interior a warm atmosphere.
We introduced a prominent new piece of cabinetry into the main living space. A timber portal in dark-stained oak veneer, incorporating a double-sided bookcase and folding doors, defines the kitchen and dining zone and the living area. This distinctive freestanding element allows the space to be used flexibly. Closing it off creates a private study or a guest sleeping area, with a bed normally concealed in a finely fluted white “dresser” so as not to compromise the overall sense of openness.
A Material Dialogue Between Old and New
We approached the interior with restraint, using light tones of bleached oak and white, subtly complemented by a few playful touches. In the guest bathroom, for example, we designed a striking blue vanity unit that echoes the blue glass fragments in the poured terrazzo floor. The other bathrooms are minimalist and monochromatic, brightened by white hexagonal mosaic tiles, concealed lighting and mirrors.
During the renovation, we preserved and restored the Art Nouveau double-casement windows, ceiling stucco and ornate doors with etched glass featuring delicate floral motifs and moulded timber surrounds. The original elements are painted ivory, while the new ones are pure white—whether bathroom wall mosaics, paintwork, sanitaryware, heated towel rails or parts of the furniture. In this way, we sought to create a subtle but clearly legible distinction between the different historical layers.
Oak parquet laid in a traditional herringbone pattern unifies the floors. Where passages lead through the central load-bearing wall and the “filter” of the cabinetry wall into the rooms, the parquet strips are laid lengthwise in a staggered pattern to emphasise the apartment’s underlying spatial logic. Light-coloured poured terrazzo was used in the bathrooms.
Natural brass details complete the atmosphere: the Art Nouveau door hardware is complemented by new vertical door handles, while brass also forms the frames of the distinctive chandeliers by Belgian designer Nicolas Brevers and the individual light fittings that establish a rhythm along the corridor or illuminate the bedrooms.
Retro column radiators and round light switches recall the era in which the building was constructed, while concealed air conditioning, bathroom underfloor heating, and minimalist sanitaryware and taps provide contemporary comfort.
Furniture as Part of the Architecture
The bespoke joinery forms an integral part of the apartment’s architecture—dividing and unifying the space while anchoring the entire design, both technically and visually, within the context of the historic building.
The principal cabinetry consists of units with doors or cover panels finished in vertically grained oak veneer treated with white oil. In addition to the apartment’s central spine and the elements directly connected to it, this finish is used for the wardrobes and panelling in the main bedroom and child’s room, the kitchen cabinetry and the wall panelling in the guest bathroom. The portal in the main living space is stained a darker, warm shade that approaches walnut veneer while retaining the delicate grain of oak.
The cabinetry is complemented by standalone pieces. Like the coat-hook panel defining the apartment’s entrance, the cabinet containing the fold-down guest bed is finished in white lacquer and softened by vertical fluting.
The built-in and mirrored bathroom cabinets are pure white.
Initial Condition
The original layout followed a typical arrangement for residential buildings from the early 20th century. Its three longitudinal zones comprised two interconnecting rooms facing the embankment, a central corridor ending in a bathroom against the gable wall, and service spaces facing the courtyard, including a maid’s room and one larger living room. The main aim of the renovation was to brighten the apartment and give it room to breathe. At the same time, the hierarchy of rooms was clarified and adapted to contemporary needs.
The Apartment’s Spine
We transformed the original corridor into a “spine” running through the apartment from the entrance to the main living space and kitchen. One side is unified by a run of bleached oak cabinetry concealing all the storage and technical facilities. Passages through this wall of cabinetry lead to bedrooms with their own bathrooms.
The widened entrance area is softened by fluted wall panelling and a large backlit circular mirror at the end of the corridor. Immediately beside the entrance, a guest toilet and shower are concealed within the cabinetry wall. Only a vertical brass handle distinguishes its door from the adjoining oak panels and cupboards.
Towards the quiet inner courtyard, the apartment takes on a calmer character. A recess within the cabinetry spine, fitted with restored historic doors, leads into the main bedroom. The former maid’s room has become a bright bathroom with a walk-in shower, accessed directly from the bedroom through a concealed door.
Another section of the cabinetry wall provides a discreet entrance to the child’s room. The built-in cabinetry also conceals a bathroom with a large bathtub and a dressing room.
Opening Up the Space and the Play of Light
The apartment’s central zone originally ended in a bathroom. By relocating it, we opened up this part of the apartment and connected it to the living space facing the river. This intervention brought light into the new layout and allowed us to reveal the barrel vault, beneath which tall kitchen cabinets now stand. The kitchen cabinetry extends into the dining room only discreetly, in the form of a long, low cabinet. The space is fluid and light-filled, yet the historic imprint of the original layout remains perceptible.
Removing the partition between the river-facing rooms created a generous living space that opens fully towards the embankment. Towards evening, sunlight casts shadows across the oak floor and walls, lending the minimalist interior a warm atmosphere.
We introduced a prominent new piece of cabinetry into the main living space. A timber portal in dark-stained oak veneer, incorporating a double-sided bookcase and folding doors, defines the kitchen and dining zone and the living area. This distinctive freestanding element allows the space to be used flexibly. Closing it off creates a private study or a guest sleeping area, with a bed normally concealed in a finely fluted white “dresser” so as not to compromise the overall sense of openness.
A Material Dialogue Between Old and New
We approached the interior with restraint, using light tones of bleached oak and white, subtly complemented by a few playful touches. In the guest bathroom, for example, we designed a striking blue vanity unit that echoes the blue glass fragments in the poured terrazzo floor. The other bathrooms are minimalist and monochromatic, brightened by white hexagonal mosaic tiles, concealed lighting and mirrors.
During the renovation, we preserved and restored the Art Nouveau double-casement windows, ceiling stucco and ornate doors with etched glass featuring delicate floral motifs and moulded timber surrounds. The original elements are painted ivory, while the new ones are pure white—whether bathroom wall mosaics, paintwork, sanitaryware, heated towel rails or parts of the furniture. In this way, we sought to create a subtle but clearly legible distinction between the different historical layers.
Oak parquet laid in a traditional herringbone pattern unifies the floors. Where passages lead through the central load-bearing wall and the “filter” of the cabinetry wall into the rooms, the parquet strips are laid lengthwise in a staggered pattern to emphasise the apartment’s underlying spatial logic. Light-coloured poured terrazzo was used in the bathrooms.
Natural brass details complete the atmosphere: the Art Nouveau door hardware is complemented by new vertical door handles, while brass also forms the frames of the distinctive chandeliers by Belgian designer Nicolas Brevers and the individual light fittings that establish a rhythm along the corridor or illuminate the bedrooms.
Retro column radiators and round light switches recall the era in which the building was constructed, while concealed air conditioning, bathroom underfloor heating, and minimalist sanitaryware and taps provide contemporary comfort.
Furniture as Part of the Architecture
The bespoke joinery forms an integral part of the apartment’s architecture—dividing and unifying the space while anchoring the entire design, both technically and visually, within the context of the historic building.
The principal cabinetry consists of units with doors or cover panels finished in vertically grained oak veneer treated with white oil. In addition to the apartment’s central spine and the elements directly connected to it, this finish is used for the wardrobes and panelling in the main bedroom and child’s room, the kitchen cabinetry and the wall panelling in the guest bathroom. The portal in the main living space is stained a darker, warm shade that approaches walnut veneer while retaining the delicate grain of oak.
The cabinetry is complemented by standalone pieces. Like the coat-hook panel defining the apartment’s entrance, the cabinet containing the fold-down guest bed is finished in white lacquer and softened by vertical fluting.
The built-in and mirrored bathroom cabinets are pure white.
The English translation is powered by AI tool. Switch to Czech to view the original text source.
0 comments
add comment
