00:03This is a house in constant transition. The client asked to maximize space and
00:12flexibility and that's why we propose an environment that can be read both as an
00:19open space or divided single rooms. I am Umberto Mai. I am one of the founders of
00:35Atoma, an architectural firm based in Milan and Edinburgh. The apartment is
00:43located in a residential building in Milan, close to the University District
00:51and to Corso Buenos Aires, a very famous shopping street for Milan. This building
00:58was built at the beginning of the last century, so it maintains the atmosphere
01:05classical of the 30s. It has a magnificent staircase and a beautiful wooden
01:14elevator. It was a residential building since the beginnings and today it is
01:24still a residential building. When we first found the apartment it was dark and
01:35old. We had no choice but to change the layout because the original apartment was
01:44composed by two main rooms and divided by a central thin and long bathroom that used
01:52one of the three windows. The main goal was to make the apartment brighter and for
01:58that reason we moved the bathroom to the darkest part of the apartment. We wanted
02:05to permit the movement inside the apartment, giving to the user the freedom
02:10and the pleasure to explore the spaces in different ways. The living room is part of
02:17the main space that can be read as an open space or divided by the curtains. It has a
02:27nice curved wall that reflects light. We decided to add a partition made of
02:37exposed bricks painted in white. We designed a diagonal wooden floor and we spread it in the
02:45whole apartment. So when you open up the doors and the curtains you can feel a
02:52continuity of the space. The kitchen is in the center of the house. It is a full
03:01kitchen. The kitchen has all the appliances needed such as a fridge with a freezer, a
03:11hot plate, an oven and a dishwasher.
03:18We installed floating shelves above the kitchen and we did the same on the other
03:25side to add more storage space.
03:32We installed a curtain to separate the kitchen from the living room. So if you have friends
03:38over after dinner you can close up and hide the mess of the kitchen.
03:46We installed a timber sliding door between the kitchen and the sleeping room that can
03:51be opened up to gain more space or closed up to give privacy to who is sleeping or resting.
04:05You can use this panel two ways. You can close it up completely or close it up half and together
04:15with a curtain we can create a separate space that is a little reading room that is bounded to the
04:24balcony
04:25and with the light that comes in.
04:32We then installed a spacious wardrobe that can contain clothes for two people.
04:40The bathroom has two entrances, one from the living room.
04:46We used a sliding door to save space and the other directly from the bedroom.
04:59We used a sliding panel of the wardrobe as a door for the bathroom.
05:06We placed a laundry opposite the bathroom which shelves that add more storage space.
05:16For us, materiality matters. That's why we use a warm birch plywood in most of our joinery and doors.
05:25This humble material are not only cost effective but also very durable.
05:32We also use a blue colored coating throughout the house that softens the design and help with the acoustic of
05:41the apartment.
05:43Cities are the place of opportunity and that's why the population of Milan is growing.
05:51Reusing all these beautiful buildings of the 30s can give the opportunity to house people more comfortably and in a
05:59sustainable way.
06:03The
06:03robe is back here, the
06:06bones.
06:07For us
06:07on deck.
06:08You
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