Italy: Untitled architecture brings natural light in compact Milan apartment

Milan: Located within an old residential building in milan, italy, untitled architecture has renovated an existing dark attic space, into a bright and airy contemporary apartment.

Challenged with size constraints of the compact space – the area measures 323 ft2 (30 m2) in total – the project maximises the original space to form a home that seems bigger than it’s modest dimensions. by reshaping the original plan and increasing the amount of natural light, the resulting space forms an airy, yet intimate, home.
untitled architecture brings natural light into a compact apartment in milan designboom
the living area of the apartment
all images © giovanni emilio galanello

The square layout is planned by the architects around a stainless steel column situated in the center of the apartment. around this central element, the kitchen, bathroom, living and working spaces form four distinct areas. while delimiting separate zones for different functions, a level of transparency and openness is maintained between each, save the bathroom. located on a mezzanine level, the compact bedroom is reached via a semi-cylindrical staircase. made up of three materials – natural marble, steel and wood – the form of the stairs becomes an almost sculptural feature, as it’s rounded shape contrasts with the straight lines that proliferate the rest of the space.

In order to maximise the floor space, all of the furniture has been built along the perimeter of the walls of the apartment, leaving as much free space as possible.

These cabinets are formed in light-colored timber, in keeping with the rest of the apartment which is decorated in white plastered walls and oak timber flooring. the few elements of aluminium work to accentuate the space and importantly, the central column feature. the blue steel works in a similar fashion, subtly following and highlighting the curves of the stairwell.

A restricted palette of materials has been used throughout the apartment to create visual continuity. for example, the oak counter top in the bathroom is made of flooring, and, similarly, the sliding door has been manufactured from the same type of wood used for the furniture. the bathroom is a clean, white room covered in square tiles with blue grout, which creates, colour- wise, a visual connection to the tubular frame structure of the stairs. an additional feature of the bathroom block is the ventilation pipe located on the mezzanine floor, made in aluminum, underlining its presence. the two enlarged skylight windows invite plenty of light into the apartment creating the luminous atmosphere and expanding the volume of the interior space.