The Typical Loft Reinterpreted With A Sculptural Staircase

Although there’s some flexibility involved when designing a loft, the interior is usually pretty much the same every time. The typical loft has a spacious main floor with some sort of extra space on a mezzanine level which usually holds the sleeping area or a home office. Forget all that and try to imagine something completely different. It’s not so easy but the architects from Smartvoll can help with this exquisite project which they completed in 2015.

Reinvented loft in Austria has a staircase roof above the kitchen
The staircase has a mirroring design and the kitchen island is centered directly beneath it
Reinvented loft in Austria has a staircase roof above the kitchen
The staircase is a statement piece and the focal point of the entire loft

The architects won the competition for the new design of this loft in Salzburg, Austria. Their task was to re-imagine the space and to come up with a unique idea for its new interior design. The winning concept placed a staircase at the center of the apartment. The fact that the apartment is spacious, measuring 350 square meters in total, allowed the architects to transform the staircase into a dramatic statement piece.

Reinvented loft in Austria has a staircase roof above the kitchen
The sculptural design of the staircase features fluid lines and soft angles that contrast with the industrial shell
Reinvented loft in Austria has a staircase roof above the kitchen
The exposed brick walls soften the look of the concrete floors and the overall industrial character

The new design has a futuristic vibe with a little bit of industrial charm. The exposed brick walls and concrete floors suggest a bare and pure palette of materials and a decor that lacks the typical glamour of modern design. This shell is dominated by the sculptural staircase which unifies the interior spaces and divides them at the same time.

Reinvented loft in Austria has a staircase roof above the kitchen
Although the materials are harsh and the finishes are sometimes rugged, the loft has a very welcoming look
Reinvented loft in Austria has a staircase roof above the kitchen
The sleeping area is suspended above the main floor that holds the social areas

The staircase forms a roof over the kitchen and at the same time it divides the upper floor into two zones. This also has an impact on the overall interior design which has a dynamic vibe that contrasts with the simplicity of the design’s general direction. Concrete is the main material used here and the architects combined it with others which are more subtle, including wood and glass.

Reinvented loft in Austria has a staircase roof above the kitchen
The ceiling sits at a height of 8 meters, leaving plenty of room on the upper floor
Reinvented loft in Austria has a staircase roof above the kitchen
It’s not just the staircase that has a sculptural look. This is a characteristic of the entire loft

The decor being minimal, the focus is on the architecture of the space and that’s why the materials used, the finishes and the forms are so important. It’s as if the architecture of the building is revealed inside the apartment while the exterior remains unchanged. It’s not easy to maintain the balance between such powerful and dramatic design elements and all the other things that seem small in comparison. This project was a big success in this sense.

Reinvented loft in Austria has a staircase roof above the kitchen
The furniture and interior decor accents are all very simple, putting the spotlight on the architecture of the loft