Apartment in Sofia

Apartment in Sofia is a minimal apartment located in Sofia, Bulgaria, designed by ATOMORE. Vratsa limestone, quarried from Bulgaria’s own earth, anchors the space with subtle geological presence. This local stone carries forward a tradition dating back to ancient Thracian builders, yet here it serves thoroughly modern purposes – grounding an interior that might otherwise feel weightless in its transparency. The limestone’s gentle texture catches and holds light, creating what architects have long understood: that the most successful interiors are those where materials and illumination dance together.

The glass partitions represent a sophisticated evolution of the mid-century modern fascination with transparency. Unlike the stark industrial glazing of 1960s office buildings, these wooden-framed panels offer what the designers call “separation without blocking light.” They echo the Japanese concept of borrowed scenery, where boundaries become permeable thresholds rather than absolute barriers. The addition of curtains introduces temporal flexibility – a recognition that domestic space must adapt to the rhythms of daily life.

Perhaps most telling is the kitchen island’s design, conceived to “let light pass through.” This detail speaks to a fundamental shift in how we understand domestic architecture. The traditional kitchen as fortress of function gives way to something more fluid, where even utilitarian elements serve the larger goal of spatial coherence. The island becomes both table and threshold, defining zones while maintaining visual continuity.

The material palette – oak veneer, raw timber, stainless steel – reflects what we might call the New Honesty in contemporary design. These are materials that age gracefully, that reveal their character through use rather than concealing it. The architects’ decision to maintain “low-contrast” tones demonstrates sophisticated restraint, allowing what they describe as “material qualities to speak for themselves.”

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