Paissandu Apartament
The starting idea for this 110 m2 (1184 sq ft) apartment, located in the upscale Flamengo neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, was to expand the existing spaces, limited by the original layout, creating new possibilities and variations. The main challenge was the presence of five slender pillars, close together and centrally located, which turned out to be the project's basic premise. We chose to surround them with an irregular element of raw concrete, which became a highlight of the project, embracing the fridge and the kitchen cupboards and creating a circular walkway in the apartment.
As one of our studio premises is to inhabit a space between the material and the abstract, we decided to make use of the concrete beams and pillars, along with the stainless steel kitchen appliances. This contrast between raw and refined elements seeks to evoke a surreal, dreamlike, and sculptural space.
Both the continuous technocement floor and the walls and ceilings painted in neutral tones were designed to harmonize with the textures of the pre-existing concrete elements. Thus, the walls were coated with a textured sand-color paint, with an irregular, handcrafted quality, being soft and sensitive to the touch while visually evoking raw concrete. This result covers the whole interior in a greyish beige tone, in line with the structure, and transforms the space into a "blank canvas" opening diverse possibilities for present and future interventions.
By removing the walls of the apartment, the structure of the horizontal beams on the ceiling outlined the inner spaces, which were separated by frosted glass sliding doors. This has created an abstract background that not only reflects the incoming light, but also the nuances of shadows cast on the other side of the glass. The multiple configurations thus created allow the dwellers either to close the glass doors to make up a new bedroom, or else to open them completely, revealing a fully integrated space encompassing the living room, the office and the kitchen.
Near the entrance to the apartment we installed an imposing central concrete table, anchored to a structural pillar. It was conceived as a large floating monolithic structure, contrasting the brute quality of the material with the lightness of its suspension. This table became an important architectural element in the project, and its location also highlights the versatility of the apartment different spaces, as it can be used both as a dining table and a work desk.
In a direct relation with the aforementioned table, the sculptural concrete structure was positioned around the existing pillars. It encompasses a stainless-steel cabinet, the same material chosen for all the kitchen furniture and appliances. The same relation is shown at its maximum in the main bathroom, with its walls entirely coated with raw concrete, contrasting with the reflectivity and luminosity of a large stainless steel floating sink.
The effort to integrate all the spaces is also reflected in the bedroom, which is separated from the closet and the bathroom only by sliding doors. The long concrete countertop in the bathroom, which starts at the edge of the bedroom, serves as a support for the use of the closet, the bedroom, and the bathroom, thus enhancing the integrated quality of the whole apartment.
