April 17, 2019

Text: Jesse Dorris

A-SH Combines Multiple Influences for a Minimal Apartment in the Czech Republic

Hammocks, exercise bars, and rings may be attached to the ceiling, along with the requisite spotlights from Illuxtron. Photography by Jakub Skokan and Martin Tuma/BoysPlayNice.

Sometimes what looks minimal is actually the combination of multiple influences. A-SH’s interiors for a new apartment in the Czech Republic’s Ústí nad Labem region is a perfect example. Its 750 square feet not only serve as a residence for a musician-slash-mountain climber and his partner, but also incorporate architect Štepán Havlík’s interest in the rural cottages of the nearby Ceské Stredohorí hills—and the owner’s affection for Provence.

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The kitchen’s cabinetry is by Hettich, with a fridge, dishwasher, oven, and cooktop by AEG. Photography by Jakub Skokan and Martin Tuma/BoysPlayNice.

“I did not wish the design to stay in the past by repeating all the well-known borrowed architectural phrases,” Havlík explains. “I rather wanted to create a real and contemporary answer to the specific demands of the customer.”

Custom oak shelving offers extensive display space for microphones and other music equipment. Photography by Jakub Skokan and Martin Tuma/BoysPlayNice.

Clever use of natural light from the apartment’s balcony offered the French touch, with solid wood furniture nodding affectionately to the cottage craftsmanship. The ceiling’s faceted plywood not only pays homage to days spent on the mountain, but also conceals mechanisms for climbing equipment. And custom storage for microphones in the living room—as well as the adjoining recording studio—is a textbook case of sound design.

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The wide entrance hallway is lined with built-in storage on the left and dark cement coating on the right. Photography by Jakub Skokan and Martin Tuma/BoysPlayNice.

The kitchen’s built-in countertop and sink are Granit Holec’s African granite. Photography by Jakub Skokan and Martin Tuma/BoysPlayNice.

Molded and whitened birch plywood covers the ceiling throughout the apartment, including in the entrance hallway. Photography by Jakub Skokan and Martin Tuma/BoysPlayNice.

A custom wine cabinet sits within the kitchen’s plywood walls. Photography by Jakub Skokan and Martin Tuma/BoysPlayNice.

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