A group of translucent glass blocks and arched half-sections of U-profiled glass define the interiors of a sculptor’s apartment in Prague in the Czech Republic.

The apartment, named Sculptor’s Apartment, was renovated by Prague-based architecture studio NEUHÄUSL HUNAL to give a new look to sculptor and glassmaker Vladimír Bachorík's house. 

Adopting a a highest degree of freedom in design, NEUHÄUSL HUNAL only covered four spaces with translucent glass blocks and U-profiled glass curves, including the cloakroom, storage and workspace, and the kitchen.

"A glass workspace"

For Bachorík, the interior of the 74-square-metre apartment was important for him as he has always worked in his apartment in a Prague housing estate. That's why he wanted to design a glass workspace as part of a total reconstruction.

According to the studio, he did not want a door inside. 

"An unusual assignment has the valuable potential to generate unusual solutions, which we decided to use as an experiment: what are the maximum possibilities of a classic prefabricated flat? How far can we go?," said the studio.

"The highest degree of freedom, light and generosity"

The architects explained that "our aim was to use a hybrid typology and achieve the highest degree of freedom, light and generosity." 

The interior design blurs boundaries and functions in terms of plan and material: withour doors, all the spaces are entirely open and envisioned as a flowing space. Thus the space is divided only by arched half-sections of U-profiled glass. 

The team used these translucent glass blocks because they have a high order that ensures the penetration of light. According to the studio, their materiality and character naturally refer to the client's lifelong work.

"In addition to statics, infrastructure was a key design constraint," the studio explained. "The neuralgic point thus becomes the water and sewage connection, which defines the location of the single-almost-enclosed space," it added.

At the heart of the apartment, wet spaces make a statement; the bathroom arch with toilet and shower are wrapped by translucent glass  blocks. 

The studio said that "because of the waste management, it is perched on a small platform that subtly emphasizes its spatial dominance." 

The studio used three open U-profiled glass curves that unobtrusively define the cloakroom, storage and workspace, in other words the kitchen. 

On the other hand, the remaining space is freely modulated between these lines of glass and remains open to any future interpretation. 

"We work with our favourite principle, whereby a uniform and unambiguous space forms the background for the life (in this case, above all the work) of its inhabitant," said the office. 

"We also work with our second favourite principle, where we remove everything that is not load-bearing and does not break the law," it added.

"The rectangular floor plan "from window to window" is intersected by a reinforced concrete load-bearing wall with two openings, which thanks to its privileged position - was the only element we stripped of its material essence and made it the bearer of the identity of the place."

The studio left the remaining walls and the ceiling in a plain white plaster, as the studio "was not interested in overdoing the concrete mannerism, nor in competing too much with the elegant glass or creating an overly confined space." 

In addition, white mosaic was used in the places where water comes into contact. The generous kitchen, where more objects are created than meals, is specifically designed to functionally suit its primary purpose. 

The character of each space is emphasized by the type of lighting fixtures used: strict lines or loose spotlights.

Floor plan

Project facts

Project name: Sculptor’s Apartment

Architects: NEUHÄUSL HUNAL

Lead architects: David Neuhäusl, Matěj Hunal

Co-architects: Pavla Daniels, Alžběta Nováková

Location: Prague, Czech Republic

Client: Vladimír Bachorík

Gross floor area: 74m2

All images © Radek Úlehla.

All drawings © NEUHÄUSL HUNAL.

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apartment glass NEUHÄUSL HUNAL Prague renovation restoration