architecture series

private residence in Helsinki (2024)

The design builds on the flexible and airy layout of a 1960s apartment, whose original plan remains intact. Its spatial potential is explored through a series of intelligent built-in solutions that provide structure without compromising openness. The idea of flexibility continues in the soft division of space: continuous curtain tracks run around both rooms, allowing generous draperies to close off or connect areas as needed. The curtains also contribute to acoustic comfort, shielding the interior from the intense sunlight that floods the apartment throughout the day.

Mirrors are carefully placed to bring daylight deep into the rooms and reflect the surrounding park and sea views, making the exterior feel more present inside. Light acts as a spatial element, energising surfaces and expanding sightlines beyond the building's physical limits. This creates a serene and flexible interior that modernises the clean, open qualities characteristic of 1960s architecture with a contemporary feeling of flow and tranquillity.