architecture brio renovates a compact city apartment in mumbai

architecture brio renovates a compact city apartment in mumbai
all images by jignesh jhaveri

in bandra, a once leafy suburb of mumbai city, architecture brio has renovated a 7th floor apartment with an adaptable and open arrangement. measuring just 80 square meters, the scheme forms comfortable living accommodation for a couple and their 5-year-old daughter. by removing dispensable walls between rooms and replacing them with objects, valuable space has been optimized, while essential electrical connections and plumbing fixtures have been integrated into the cupboards and wardrobes. subsequently, the materialization of each partition responds to its insulating, waterproofing, maintenance and tactile requirements.

the 7th floor apartment features an adaptable and open arrangement

objects are divided into categories depending on their frequency of use. for example, loose furniture pieces are kept to a minimum to increase open floor space in the apartment, while objects that are used every day are allocated a specific space that can be closed when not in use. in this way, the home is continually restructured, expanded, fragmented, connected or isolated.

the apartment measures just 80 square meters

to maximize space, activities overlap in semi-defined zones: a verandah becomes a shower, and a terrace becomes a dining room. the kitchen is designed to merge with the living room. while a typical two bedroom apartment in this context has two attached bathrooms and a common toilet, space is saved by positioning one accessible bathroom between the two bedrooms. a rain shower with a view, a shaving sink, and a vanity cabinet with full length mirror are dispersed to specific locations in the bedroom which, when closed, completely disappear.

the terrace becomes a dining room

in general, the interiors are embellished with a subtle collection of textures and materials. each utility core is made from either stained birch plywood, natural stained white oak or an epoxy cement finish. the layout of the apartment allows its inhabitants to navigate the house in multiple ways. each room has at least two ways to go to another, giving the illusion that there are more rooms than there actually are.

the interiors are embellished with a subtle collection of textures and materials

loose furniture pieces are kept to a minimum to increase open floor space

the master bedroom adjoins the outdoor terrace 

a rain shower is found within the bedroom

space is saved by positioning one accessible bathroom between the two bedrooms

electrical connections and plumbing fixtures have been integrated into cupboards and wardrobes

the layout of the apartment allows its inhabitants to navigate the house in multiple ways

floor plan

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project info:

description: city apartment
location: bandra, mumbai, india
size: 80 sqm
client: robert verrijt + shefali balwani
design: architecture brio, robert verrijt + shefali balwani
realization: march 2015
copyright: architecture brio
photography: jignesh jhaveri