Apartment building with themed floors

An apartment building where every floor tells a different story — a unique project, with the design handled by Studio Identity Design. The architects drew on the building’s own history and on the culture of the city around it, and turned that into five themes, one per floor.

From a racing circuit to a castle casemate

The apartments start on the third floor, which nods to the city’s well-known Grand Prix circuit. Exposed original brickwork and bespoke steel furniture carry the industrial look, with parts of old motorcycles and photographs of famous riders filling in the atmosphere.

The fourth floor belongs to the city’s rich functionalist tradition, above all Villa Tugendhat. That reference runs through ebony furniture, backlit onyx walls, tubular steel, chrome details, period accessories and modernist art on the walls. The wood decor we used on both the furniture and the wall cladding is a direct echo of the villa.

The fifth floor is the artistic side of the city — theatre, music and fine art. Apartments with high ceilings are hung with paintings and posters from the national theatre. The bespoke furniture takes its cue from a grand piano; everything else is simple and light. Portraits of well-known artists complete the set.

The sixth floor was inspired by the casemates of the hilltop castle above the city. Staying here feels a little like being in prison — a luxurious one. Black steel, polished concrete walls, minimalist furniture and prison-style props do the work. The steel-framed bed, though, is anything but hard.

The seventh floor is a spacious roof apartment looking out over the main square, with its own spa and sauna — a reference to the city’s bathhouse tradition. A big open space, natural materials and light tones make it a place to slow down. The private spa has a bath, a sauna and a tropical shower.

One building, many materials

Apartments this varied needed an equally varied palette. We worked with solid wood, natural veneer, metal, high-pressure laminate and upholstered elements. A refurbishment on this scale — and this much non-standard production — took thorough preparation and close work with the designers and the owner. It is an exceptional project and we are glad we were part of it.

Design: Studio Identity Design