Szentkirályi Street Apartment Renovation
Budapest, Hungary
This project involved the renovation of a 150 m² large historic bourgeois apartment located in a classical Budapest building characterized by generous proportions and high ceilings. While the apartment possessed strong architectural character, the existing layout—originally designed for a smaller family—did not fully utilize the spatial potential of the space.
The redesign focused on reorganizing the program to better align with the apartment’s spatial hierarchy and access to natural light. The former kitchen, located on the courtyard side of the apartment, was converted into a spacious master bathroom, allowing the main living areas to be repositioned toward the brighter street-facing rooms.
The defining architectural intervention was the creation of a four-meter-wide structural opening through a one-meter-thick load-bearing wall, connecting a corner street-facing room with the former living room, which was transformed into the new kitchen. This intervention allowed natural light to penetrate deeper into the apartment while establishing a strong visual and spatial relationship between the kitchen and living areas.
The new open connection between these spaces became the social heart of the home, creating a bright and welcoming environment for everyday living while maintaining the classical proportions of the historic interior.
Material choices emphasize warmth and refinement. Natural oak flooring was introduced throughout the apartment, while the master bathroom was finished with large-format Calacatta marble-effect tiles, creating a calm and elegant retreat within the home. The result is a carefully balanced interior that preserves the character of the historic bourgeois apartment while adapting it to contemporary living.