Sky House was a 1958 private building by Japanese architect Kiyonori Kikutake. The building was comprised of one large modular room, with movable partitions elongated through portals, the shape and function of which drove the interior designer to use them in the project.

Sky House is a manifesto of metabolism in architecture, the main principle of which is the function of ‘modularity’, or the transformation of the building's components based on the stage and needs of the people living there. Thus, the principle of modularity was partially integrated, and the Kikutake Room, with its library, became the central connecting element of the project. Every interior element in the project - its geometry, location, and color - was predetermined by this concept.

The sky room 

The common space includes several zoning components, including a sky-blue room that transforms into the first part of the kitchen area. When the facades are opened, the space is used for quick cooking without the use of a cooking surface. When the facades are closed, the function of the room changes to a work area/office. A reflection in the mirror creates the effect of an additional window and through-passage to a new room. The same illusion is present in the area where the second part of the kitchen continues. On either side of the built-in box, there are two mirrors that reflect the library, like the circular gallery of the Sky House, not only enveloping the space from all sides, but also dividing the kitchen-living room into a private area.

A challenging client

This project was very special for the designer, as it was being designed for personal living. A designer assumes several roles when designing a space for themself, becoming responsible for different functions of design and implementation. By conducting author's supervision, creating a concept and project, communicating with contractors, and selecting materials, a designer can become cornered by their own decisions. However, while it may create internal contradictions, at the same time it unleashes the freedom of creative self-expression.

Furniture design

All of the furniture in the project, with the exception of the upholstered furniture, is designed according to the interior designer’s sketches, with the most unique being the dining table, the library, and the sink in the main bathroom. Like the supports of the Sky House, the legs of the dining table firmly hold the tabletop in place, and also change depending on the observer's view. Their shape is also inspired by the through portals in the project designed by Kiyonori Kikutake.

The main bathroom sink resembles a sculptural object that transitions into a cuboid shape due to the seamless mirror located behind it. The guest bathroom features a limited edition of the ASKO x Maxim Kashin Architects home laundry, featuring Maxim Kashin's Suprematist pattern, with a total of 10 units produced in honor of Kazimir Malevich's first Suprematist exhibition, 0.10.

Difficulty of choice

The most difficult decision was the choice of color for the walls. The designer made approximately 20 colorings of beige shades, which changed dramatically depending on illumination at different times of the day. The difficulty in choosing a color was largely due to the fact that the interior is completely monochrome, with the exception of the accent sky. Here, it was important to choose a color that, in any lighting condition, would be in harmony with the rest of the single tone objects in the project, thereby creating a sense of a single transition from a vertical plane to a horizontal one.