Respectful balance
An apartment renovation on Gärtnerplatz cleverly combines old and new
On Gärtnerplatz, right in the vibrant heart of Munich, a supposedly small project has become a remarkable example of careful and detailed conservation. A classic old apartment - part of a historic, listed ensemble dating back to 1863 - was not just renovated, but refurbished with care and attitude. The Munich architects Rainer Pohl and Antea Leka saw the apartment as the smallest unit of urban life - a mosaic piece in a big picture that characterizes not only the building but also the entire district.
The interior design had to do justice to the sought-after location and at the same time blend harmoniously into the historical context. A central premise was to preserve what is valuable. Original elements such as oak herringbone parquet flooring, floorboards, historic doors and glass skylights were not only preserved, but also extensively refurbished. But less historic features were also preserved: In order to conserve resources, the natural stone window sills from the 1960s were not removed, but instead fitted with a custom-made, white wooden cover. Similar overlays of old materials with new surfaces can also be found in the floor structure: There, existing floorboards were given a fine filling before new herringbone parquet was laid over them. An interior door was restored true to the original instead of being replaced by a replica. The highlight of the apartment is the bathroom: simple elegance dominates here: "We were inspired by the timeless design of some South Tyrolean hotel renovations - the colors and materials are high-quality, classic and restrained, but at the same time modern and in keeping with the spirit of the times," explain Antea Leka and Rainer Pohl. The concept of combining large-format, half-height Limestone tiles with small, handcrafted tiles in the shower and bath area creates this effect. The color and materiality of the tiles were intensively sampled, as the effect of a color tone depends on the room height, lighting conditions and proportions of the rooms.
Photos:
Antea Leka
(Published in CUBE Munich 03|25)
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