Apartment + Apartment by Progres Architekti, Prague

Merging Homes: A Personal Project

The Apartment + Apartment project began when the family purchased a unit adjacent to their existing home, exploring the possibility of merging the two spaces. While managing various client projects in the studio, the personal living space became a canvas for experimentation. The design focuses on airiness, natural light, flexible spaces, and greenery, creating a dynamic home that adapts to evolving family needs.

Historical Context and Architecture

Located in a functionalist apartment building, originally designed by Josef Chochol, Richard Ferdinand Podzemný, and František Míšek, the structure was celebrated for its modernist simplicity and light-filled interiors. Built in 1936, the building remains economical and airy, with its original architectural essence intact despite minor modifications over time.

The structural system—a two-span reinforced concrete frame with ribbed ceilings and courtyard balconies—proved instrumental in the renovation. This flexible structural approach allowed the team to reconfigure interiors while respecting the building's historical integrity.

Interior Design: Open, Functional, and Transformable

The renovation prioritized open-plan living and spatial adaptability. Original structural elements were exposed, brick linings removed, and floors preserved to reveal a high-quality, flexible core. Two corner rooms were retained due to their functionality, while the rest of the space was designed for continuous transformation.

Two wooden “boxes” define independent functional areas:

1. Kitchen Box: Includes kitchen, storage, and a small toilet, creating an intermediate space with a cloakroom and utility room.
2. Bathroom & Workspace Box: Contains a bathroom with a view, a resting space, and a workspace.

The remaining area remains open, allowing fluid circulation, natural light penetration, and versatility in use.

Materials and Craftsmanship

Wood is central to the design, both as structural and furniture material, blurring boundaries between walls and furnishings. The family’s joinery workshop contributed to crafting custom wooden elements, emphasizing handmade quality, warmth, and tactile experience.

Original features such as xylolite floors, coved ceilings, and brass-fitted doors were preserved, while subtle details like a white terrazzo strip hint at the apartment’s original layout, maintaining a dialogue between past and present.

A Home of Light, Flexibility, and Connection

The Apartment + Apartment project embodies functional elegance, modernist heritage, and personal expression. Its combination of open spaces, intimate nooks, natural materials, and adaptable layouts creates a home that evolves alongside its inhabitants, celebrating both history and contemporary living.

All Photographs are works of Alexandra Timpau