bloque space

What does it take to create a studio space that reflects both craftsmanship and dialogue within the fabric of a city?  In the dense urban landscape of Munich, the search began for a place that could unite focused work, experimentation, exhibition, and social exchange. A small ground-floor shopfront in a listed building soon revealed itself as the ideal foundation: visible from the street, open to conversation, and ready for transformation. Its historic façade and generous windows form a bridge between the intimacy of the workspace and the public life of the neighbourhood. The goal was to preserve this duality — to create an atelier that is both workshop and salon, production site and meeting point.

How can the layered history of a space be uncovered and transformed into a clear, contemporary framework?  Years of previous use had covered walls and floors with numerous additions, concealing the building’s original qualities. Through careful deconstruction, these layers were removed to reveal the essence of the space. The existing structure – a bright front room and a more secluded rear area – offered the perfect foundation for new functions: open workspaces, a model studio, and a kitchen meeting area. When the original parquet could no longer be renovated, a new solution emerged: poured asphalt, polished into a terrazzo surface that retains the flexibility and warmth suited to the historic shell. A delicate shadow joint along the walls hints at the past while refining the transitions between old and new.

Which materials can translate the spirit of the old structure into a contemporary, handcrafted identity?  The material concept builds on subtle contrasts and craftsmanship. Walls, doors, and exposed pipes are unified in a soft cream tone that allows new interventions — floor, furniture, and lighting — to take visual lead. Custom switches and sockets, designed and built in-house from stone and aluminium, underline the tactile approach. Natural coloured finishes accentuate the wood surfaces of the self-built furniture, while raw aluminium adds a crisp, technical counterpoint in the kitchen and ceiling elements. A monolithic washbasin carved from Bavarian shell limestone serves as a sculptural highlight, grounding the room with material depth and local reference. The resulting space merges the century-old character of the building with the clarity of contemporary detailing — a place where design, craftsmanship, and dialogue can flourish.