Residential Studio in Hamburg
Living and working beneath the same roof requires organizing the logistics of both within a given space. A generously designed floor plan can, however, become a problem of “zoning”. To spatially and acoustically disentangle such diverging areas of everyday life was the request of the owner of a residential studio. The space is located on the topmost floor of a three-story Wilhelmian era villa in Hamburg-Altona. This led to a design dilemma for the architect, Andree Weissert. While the spaces required renovation, they also expressed a degree of expansiveness not witnessed every day. In order to visually preserve this character, a partially glazed wall was created that consists of profiled veneer plywood. It separates the living and dining area and the atelier while also serving as a visual barrier, yet only up to 1.30 meters above the floor. As a result, the entire depth of the space can be experienced without a direct view of activities taking place within the bordering space. Two large sliding elements serve to completely close off the work area. Located beyond the central access area with its entrance and bathroom, the acoustically sensitive uses such as bedroom and music room are placed behind a detached partition wall. They feature parquet flooring as floating installation on top of a dry screed layer. A new partition wall between kitchen and bathroom emphasizes the construction logic of the space: it is located beneath the ridge beam and serves load-bearing purposes. Its upper third, however, is glazed. Together with the existing skylights, the partially glazed walls transform the living and working areas into a space that can be separated into distinct areas, yet can be spatially perceived as a single “winter garden” bathed in light and offering diverse options of movement.
