momentura - Flat niche

June 2023 – Client Review:

“We have been living in our Flat with Niches for three years now, so I dare say we know what worked and what didn’t… I won’t keep you in suspense: it turned out fantastic, and a large part of the credit goes to Atelier Momentura. Michal Rouha was involved from the very beginning — from inspecting the apartment in its original state just before purchase to supervising the construction during the renovation.

His team prepared two excellent initial study options, from which we, I believe, chose the one most suitable for life with children (though the other one was also great).

We then continued with the actual project, and their iterative approach — guiding us step by step through questions and decisions — suited us perfectly. I knew we couldn’t rush, and the result proved it: we moved in on February 20, 2020, exactly three weeks before the first COVID emergency was declared — something we didn’t yet know at the time…

The apartment then underwent a real stress test during the pandemic: not only did I work from home for over a year after moving in, but our second child was born here, so there are now four of us. Honestly, I can’t imagine how we would have survived in the old 2+kk apartment. I would change only the absolute minimum — everything else works exactly as we planned together.

Everything fits together beautifully. We make the most of the space thanks to built-in furniture. For example, the seating under the living room window (the red niche) is a favorite spot for our children to play, and it’s a joy to spend time there. I also love the orange niche in the kitchen while cooking.

I would like to thank Michal Rouha and the entire Momentura team. I cannot imagine handling this renovation without them — the result definitely wouldn’t have been as well executed.”

The task was to design a residential flat tailored to the needs, habits, and desires of its new inhabitants. The apartment is located on the third floor of a 1960s residential building on Na Vrstvách Street in the Podolí district of Prague.

After an initial meeting and preliminary analysis, we developed client‑driven outputs in the form of a sensory mind map, a typical day scenario, and annotated reflections on past living spaces. We then verified the existing floor plan and created a digital model of the current state.

These initial steps led to the concept of the flat with niches. This approach reflects the need for individuals to always have their own place within the space — niches appearing throughout the apartment create points of emphasis and material contrast: here something happens, here I do this or that. We approached the design non‑invasively, respecting all load‑bearing walls while modifying only non‑bearing partitions.

The layout responds to the context of the location, views of the surrounding landscape, and the position of the balcony. The northern part, with entrance hall, toilet, and bathroom, flows into the children’s room, positioned in the eastern corner with the calmest orientation and garden views. From the hall, one moves into the kitchen situated centrally in the plan. Adjacent to it is the master bedroom with a private walk‑in closet on the eastern façade, also overlooking the quiet garden. To the south, the living room connects smoothly through an existing opening in the wall and is oriented toward the street. A workspace/additional room is attached to the living area and can be opened or fully enclosed with folding doors. Its position in the southern corner was chosen to allow easy access to the balcony and use during social occasions.