Architects: Cuns Studio
Project: High Five / attic renovation
Location: Poznań, Poland
Area 170.0 sqm
Photographs: Hanna Długosz
This attic renovation project was conceived and completed by Polish studio Cuns. This spacious loft is located in the Poznań city center, near the Stary Browar (Old Brewery) shopping, arts and business center.
Description by architect: Tomek, the owner, is a young, active thirty-some-year old male working in the internet service industry. He has always dreamt of living in an open and comfortable space with no strictly defined borders. Like his idol, the main character of the popular nineties tv series “Nash Bridges”.
This attic space was previously occupied by a local business. Fortunately it was not neglected or damaged as can happen with abandoned attics. Nevertheless it required a lot of hard work to bring it to the present condition. The hardest part was restoration of the original wooden floor and the original roof timber structure. Uncovering and cleaning of the brick walls was also a challenging and time consuming task.
The loft has not been partitioned into individual spaces to allow the owner and his guests to feel at ease. Only the owner’s bedroom was clearly defined and separated to create a private space, an intimate refuge where Tomek can rest and fulfill one of his dreams – “bath under the clouds”. The elliptical bathtub and a fairy-tale lamp add to the magic of this cozy bedroom.
An unusual feature of this apartment is the mezzanine which is accessed by custom made steel stairs. It’s where one can relax or, do the opposite – and workout. The designers hung some netted rope that functions as a hammock and creates a space to escape and reset. The net was designed and manufactured by a firm specializing in safety equipment and is able to withstand the weight of several people. This space was designed for reading or listening the music but, as the owner admits, he spends more time there napping than on reading.
The fact that the designers did not partition the space allows guests to freely interact during the parties. The custom made kitchen is an ideal place to prepare snacks and drinks. Worth noticing is the geometrical pattern on the kitchen floor that was inspired by the rug in the living room.
An open space concept allows many options. To have fun together, to dance together or to hold intimate group conversations next to the fireplace while reclining on the comfy sofa, the wool poufs or, if heights aren’t an issue, the hammock net above. Others might opt for a snack while sitting on the plush hocker stools by the table, both also designed by Cuns Studio.
The owner is a music lover so a fine audio system was a must. Cube Audio firm provided a customized home audio system. You can enjoy music in one room only or adjust the settings to fill the entire home, including the home theater.
The home theater also features a screen that lowers automatically from under the mezzanine floor If you want to go wild and have a full on party just click on another button on your smartphone. Since all the apartment’s services are fully integrated – smart and intelligent, the owner can control not only its audio or video systems but lighting and climate settings as well. All this from his smartphone.
Apart from a relaxing bath by the master bedroom there is also a less subtle alternative of a shower in the bathroom. Concrete walls harmonize with the beautiful free standing lavatory, the pride of the bathroom. The additional small water closet, located next to the bathroom, contrasts artfully with it thanks to the geometric tiles on the floor and the washbasin on a wooden base. The tap, reminiscent of a drop of water, also adds charm to this place.
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