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Public/Private Functions

Above  e section shows a view east toward

the main living space from the bedrooms. In

the upper bedroom, the ceiling is excavated

to reveal two corrugated steel vaults be-

tween the joists that provide additional head

room—a fortuitous discovery—as the overall

fl oor-to-ceiling height is just over 14 feet

(4.3 meters). Additional space is captured by

cantilevering the bed over the hall.  e lower

half of the cube contains a nearly 6.5-foot

(2-meter)-high bedroom with a low, wide

door in front that makes it convenient for the

parents to check on the baby sleeping in her

crib inside. Child-height doors and windows

also connect the lower bedroom to the public

spaces.

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70 Small Environments

Right  e addition of the stacked bedroom

spaces concentrates the private quarters in

the rear of the residence and keeps the living

area as open as possible.  e bedroom block

becomes part of a storage system along the

west wall of the loft and reads as part of

the perimeter walls rather than as a discon-

nected object in space. Effi ciency of use and

economy of material provide organization:

 e music library above the clothing closets

takes advantage of the loft’s height.

glazing

cantilevered fl oor and bed

Evan’s door

resin stair and balcony

existing masonry loft building

walk-in dressing rooms

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71

Public/Private Functions

Above and Left  e cantilevered bed also

provides spatial defi nition for the entry

sequence. Walking into the loft from the

entrance door just beyond the brick bearing

wall, one encounters a lower ceiling height

that extends the threshold before one steps

into the high, open space.  e ebonized oak

band at the cantilever continues the material

of the loft bed inside.

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72 Small Environments

i29 Offi ce for Spatial Design, Kempenlaan

Apartment, Amsterdam, Netherlands

To keep the interior spacious yet structured,

the architects approached this apartment

renovation by way of furniture design. A

single piece of custom-built casework orga-

nizes the apartment into public and private

zones, yet creates the experience of a larger

open space.  e main body of the casework

is spray-fi nished MDF, which frames an oak

alcove in the living room.

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Top  e artful placement and composition

of the cabinet control the views through the

apartment: An opening in the cabinet allows

a glimpse of the bedroom area beyond with-

out sacrifi cing privacy.

Above While acting as a screen, the case-

work provides the apartment with nearly all

its common storage space. In the living area,

its lower half accommodates stereo and tele-

vision equipment and the free end serves as

a wardrobe; more storage is accessible from

both sides of the unit above the open shelf.

Public/Private Functions

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