KYPSELI APARTMENT

The long, narrow apartment was organised around a dark linear corridor, with enclosed rooms arranged on either side. This layout restricted light and cross-ventilation, imposing a single pattern of movement: corridor–room–corridor.

The design sought to weaken this linear arrangement and make use of the openings at opposite ends of the apartment to improve natural light and ventilation.

The principal design move was to remove the corridor and place the open kitchen in its position.As a result, the direct route from the entrance to the rear no longer defines the organisation of the apartment, which instead acquires a new centre.

An open-backed bookcase behind the kitchen acts as both a filter and a boundary, without obstructing the passage of light. The study is placed in the former kitchen. A sliding partition allows its relationship with the shared living space to change according to the need for privacy or participation in the communal life of the apartment.

The bedroom remains in its original position, while the living and dining areas are arranged as a single space extending from the entrance towards the balcony.

The material palette follows the same logic of limited intervention. The existing timber floors are restored and retained as the principal material in the living and sleeping areas.

A grey ceramic floor provides a neutral background in the remaining spaces, setting the timber in contrast, while white surfaces form a calm backdrop for the furniture and artworks.

The intervention is based not on adding new rooms, but on rearranging the relationships between them. Removing the corridor transforms a linear plan into a more open, connected and naturally ventilated living environment.