For Munich architects Birte Raff and Eva Petri, founders of pur architekten, the opportunity seemed almost too good to be true. When the owner of an old automotive repair shop in their backyard decided to sell, they didn't hesitate – transforming it into their new studio. The result is pure vision: the flat-roofed structure now floods with natural light and features an expansive ground floor, a gallery level, and abundant storage throughout.

But the renovation required considerable ambition. "There was this terrible sub-roof structure that completely destroyed the spatial potential," recalls Birte Raff. "We basically stripped it down to the outer walls." To achieve the height needed for their gallery, they removed the concrete slab and excavated deeper still. Now a single step leads into the former workshop, where large larch-wood windows replace the old vehicle entrance. The architects repurposed the original pit as the perfect spot for their custom conference table—a light ash design inspired by traditional rustic "Jogltisch" tables but thoroughly contemporary. The new roof features six skylights, with Swiss-made cassette ceiling elements providing the structure. "They offer generous spans and allowed us to eliminate beams at ceiling level," explains Raff. The same 28-centimeter elements serve double duty in the gallery, their spruce tops oiled and installed as flooring. A sculptural ash staircase, custom-crafted by the architects with a local carpenter, spirals upward in refined simplicity. Indeed, "pur"—pure, reduced, timeless—defines every detail. A crisp white wall unit houses the modest kitchenette while climbing to the ceiling for maximum storage. Warm wood appears throughout: the hunt for the perfect Danish-design birch pendant lamp over the conference table proved worthwhile. Even the rolling material carts are ash. The floor itself is distinctive—a subtly sanded grey terrazzo whose visible aggregate creates a restrained, almost ethereal effect. Skylights combine with recessed spotlights and custom Munich-made LED track systems to bring luminous warmth to the entire space.

www.pur-architekten.de

Photography Credits:

Philipp Nemenz

(Published in CUBE Munich 02|22)