17/04/2026
// NEW PROJECT: APT PHD - APARTMENT RENOVATION WITHIN A HERITAGE-PROTECTED MUNICIPAL HOUSING COMPLEX //
Located in Graz, this apartment for a private client is part of a housing ensemble built between 1929 and 1931 in the spirit of Neue Sachlichkeit. The existing apartment typology is characteristic of historic Altbau dwellings of this period, defined by generous ceiling heights, large living spaces, and comparatively small service rooms, where the kitchen already functioned as a social center that became the conceptual starting point for the redesign.
Without altering the position of the existing wet areas, the apartment was completely reorganized into two clearly defined zones. A generous entrance space establishes a welcoming atmosphere, accommodating arrival, cooking, and dining as an open, connected sequence of spaces. This public, communicative zone is set in deliberate contrast to the more private rooms of the apartment, which retreat into calmer, more introverted atmospheres.
New insertions are articulated through a restrained material palette, deliberately set apart from the warmth of the historic fabric. A centrally positioned “bath box” operates as a spatial anchor and organizational device, structuring the entrance with integrated storage and sauna functions while simultaneously defining the kitchen, island, and dining zones. This central volume is clad in a wallcovering from the Renaturation Collection, developed through a collaboration between 13&9 Design, Fractals Research and Momentum Textiles & Wallcovering, and draws on research-based design principles. Rooted in scientific research on fractal geometry, the collection translates natural patterns into architectural surfaces. Fractals – self-repeating patterns found throughout nature – have been scientifically proven to boost cognitive performance and significantly reduce stress. More information about the project can be found via the link. https://innocad.at/projects/apt_phd