Turning Corners, Turning Heads – Prague Rounded Loft

Take one look at A1 Architects-designed Rounded Loft. If it reminds you of Franza Kafka’s work even in the least, you are not too far off the mark. The neutrals-dominated spacious home is located in Prague, the Czech Republic. The former attic, now a 2,368 square-foot loft apartment, inspires relaxation and a sense of infinity, with its wide open spaces and all-natural materials, combining unexpectedly. There is bare concrete, grey slabs of porcelain tiles, wood, even wire mesh, all in white and grey, lit discretely with recessed lights. With this project, the A1 Architects team aimed to create a “boundless space”. Walk in, then. At the entrance, you will be met by generous dressing wardrobes. The fluid hallway then leads into the two-story open living space, with an ample dining table set in wood, which seats up to eight. Together with the kitchen, this space communicates freely with the upstairs gallery, designed for evenings of entertaining guests. In comes the rounded element of the design, with the softened corners of the massive walls. They create a smooth, fluid atmosphere and somehow annul the boundaries of the walls. The staircase, which integrates a fireplace and a clever bookshelf, spirals upwards as well, to reiterate the meandering motif. There is no railing to the stairs, but a safe, smooth, see-through thin stainless net. Adjacent, three enclosed bedrooms, a study room and storage spaces integrated as built-in furniture.

Besides the esthetic program, the A1 team also carefully considered the issue of finishing materials. In order to maximize on the initial concept, the designers handpicked every material, most of them with the input of the client. The large part of the wooden furniture is custom-made, and set off by the wooden bearing structure, purposely exposed. Two noteworthy pieces – the massive dining table in walnut and the ash-veneered light fixture floating above it. The home’s feeling of contiguousness is heightened by the use of large format beige tiles throughout the flooring. The kitchen counter is black granite, highlighted by the bright white marble wall behind it. All photos taken by David Mastalka.

(Source: A1Architects.cz)