This apartment is a little gem I found in the crowded streets of a major Dutch city. I was rather surprised to see new constructions in the area so it immediately sparked my interest.

Original layout:

• Completed: 2006
Surface: 70m²

• I personally think that if a building needs instructions in how to use it or how to understand its space, it has gloriously failed its purpose. Well, unless that specifically was its purpose! So when I saw this apartment I could not help but wonder how is it to enter that hallway. You go in and “uuuuu” a long corridor and doors. Where to go? What to do? I know that for many this might be nitpicking and that is just fine by me. I do however believe in the concept that if you do something than do it right.
• As I previously stated, I cringe at the sight of the secondary bedrooms in most apartments. I find them impossible match boxes, most of the time suitable only for office space or nurseries. I know, small space, tiny country, but still, there are options.
• I think the biggest issue for me, here, was the way circulations interact. To get to the living room you cross the path between the two bedrooms and the bathroom. So, in the unfortunate case you need to run up and down the bathroom while guests are in the house you kinda need a warning system. Though them seeing you running around the hallway in your underwear might make for good stories to tell the grand kids or even worst on your wedding day! Mwahahaha! I know! I’m mean!
Then there is the secondary interaction of getting to the kitchen while going through the living space and implicitly passing in front of the TV. (Why does it need to be a TV in every apartment? Don’t you know how freaking cool is to have a projector? There are so much more options out there! ) I know, small potatoes, until your kids drive you bonkers!

New layout: 

• Enter the door and know directly where to go. You can see the living space on the left and the door in front of you that screams private.
• I separated the night and day completely so that if guests are around, anybody in the night area can walk around undisturbed.
•The toilet is in the day area* (hidden enough so not to be annoying) yet close enough to the night area**. However, if that is an issue, I believe there is enough space in the bathroom to place a second toilet. Another option is to move the door that separates the day from the night area just on the other side of the toilet so it gets included in the night area.

*   Day area – Typically refers to the spaces we most commonly use during the day: living room + kitchen
** Night area – Refers to the spaces that require most privacy and are most commonly used at night: bedrooms + bathrooms

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