Rubikum For Three Apartment | ARHITEKTURA | OFFICE FOR URBANISM AND ARCHITECTURE

Rubikum For Three Apartment

The apartment for three, a young couple, and a dog are located near the city center of Ljubljana. It is situated in a new residential neighborhood that was built during a gradual revitalization of abandoned inner-city industrial areas. The new neighborhood is conveniently located on the strip of land between the city and its green outskirts, making it popular with young families.

The buyers of the apartment are a young couple. Until recently, they lived on the rural outskirts of the city. Missing the bustle of the city in their green environment they decided to buy and renovate an apartment on a location that yields the best of both worlds. This ambivalence between urbanity and nature was the conceptual starting point for the renovation of this 60 m2 apartment.

Photography by © Miran Kambič

The original, standard arrangement of a one-bedroom apartment did not quite correspond to the dynamic lifestyle of the clients. Because their pet is an important part of the family, the aim was to design a space without corners and closed-off spaces. By demolishing all existing partition walls the living space opened up to a circular movement, also becoming a polygon for the dog’s daily activities. The living room is connected to the bedroom through a winter garden. The only enclosed space in the apartment remains the bathroom.

Clients mostly work from home. Also, they have a lively social life, organizing vegan lunch get-togethers, movie nights, and dinners with friends. They practice yoga and train their dog. Therefore fixed and rigid furniture with a predetermined position and function would hinder this lifestyle. We found the solution in mobile furnishings on wheels, which allow for a more fluid living arrangement. Two large elements: a wide counter and a large sofa can both be moved freely around the room, creating diverse social scenarios.

Photography by © Miran Kambič

The floor in the apartment is made of bright terrazzo. As space is meant for dynamic use, this type of flooring is durable and brings a feeling of freshness to the apartment. All mobile furnishings are made of stainless steel to ensure durability. Also, their subtle luster acts as an additional light source further inside the apartment. The service area, which includes a kitchen, washing machine, and a utility, is tucked inside a series of spacious closets at the main entrance. The dark green color of this set symbolically marks the edge of the apartment and acts as a counterbalance to the light and metallic materials that dominate the interior. Hidden behind hinged panels is a wooden kitchenette. The bedroom is also clad in warm tones of wood panels.

The atmosphere in the apartment is co-created by pots of tropical and Mediterranean plants, a series of original graphics, and unique ceramic pieces.