Contemporary living was the vision when a young family commissioned Bottega + Ehrhardt Architects to renovate and sensitively reimagine their 160 m² period apartment. Situated on the mezzanine of an imposing 1909 heritage-protected apartment building in a prime location, the flat itself is also protected as a historical landmark. This required formal approval from the heritage conservation authority, supported by comprehensive photographic documentation of the spaces before and after the transformation.

The architects reconfigured the kitchen and bathrooms with careful attention to the building's character. To create a new bathroom, they carved off a portion of a spacious corner room, setting it on a platform above the original parquet floor. Glass skylights blur the boundaries between old and new, allowing the space to be easily restored if needed. A delightful discovery awaited during renovation: when the kitchen floor tiles were removed, the original octagon-and-square pattern from 1909 emerged. Cream-coloured squares with bevelled corners are connected by diamond-shaped blue tiles – a motif that inspired the new flooring throughout the kitchen, main bath, and WC. Combined with the restored wooden doors, detailed mouldings, skirting boards, and wall panelling, these elements create the apartment's distinctive, enduring character.

The angular hallway, wrapped in warm grey, functions as the apartment's generous distributing heart – a space that defines the home's identity. Ceiling-mounted spotlights brighten the interior corridor and expand it visually, while black sconces add layered, indirect illumination. The original herringbone parquet floors have been refinished and oiled; in the hallway, subtle dark staining creates a refined contrast against the white doors and walls. Minimalist white storage units in lacquered MDF provide practical solutions while maintaining the clean, luminous aesthetic throughout. From demolition in summer 2018 to the owners' move-in that December, the complete transformation took approximately five months – a careful balance between respecting the building's heritage and creating a home for contemporary living.

www.be-arch.com

(Published in CUBE Stuttgart 04|20)