Lina Apartment is a 215m² unit in a 1980s concrete-frame building in Blumenau, south Brazil. The renovation preserved original arched openings and 3.2m ceiling height, while reconfiguring the layout to integrate the kitchen with the living area. Non-structural walls were removed, and all systems were updated.
Finishes include reclaimed cumaru flooring, mineral wall paint, and freijó veneer cabinetry. A natural stone island anchors the kitchen. Freestanding furniture allows spatial flexibility.
Lighting combines LED profiles, sconces, and enhanced natural light. Acoustic and thermal comfort were improved with natural fabrics and rugs.
The renovation of Lina Apartment was guided by the desire to honor the architectural memory of the original 1980s space while adapting it to contemporary life. The project embraces a conceptual duality: preservation and transformation. Rather than imposing a new identity, the design reveals and amplifies what was already there: arched doorways, generous ceiling heights, and soft, organic transitions, treating these elements not as constraints, but as narrative anchors for a new spatial experience.
A central conceptual driver was the idea of layering: layers of time, memory, materiality, and personal history. The apartment became a vessel for the residents’ lives, an evolving collection of objects, artworks, and furnishings, many of which hold emotional and historical significance. Brazilian modernist design plays a key role, not as a nostalgic gesture, but as a living legacy. Iconic pieces from the 1950s and 60s are juxtaposed with new interventions, establishing a dialogue that is both temporal and tactile.
Spatial strategies were rooted in flexibility and openness. Fixed partitions were minimized, allowing for a more fluid and adaptive environment. The kitchen, formerly isolated, was reimagined as the social heart of the home, a space for gathering, cooking, and sharing, symbolizing the broader goal of making the apartment more generous and connected.
Natural materials and soft textures (wood, linen, leather, and greenery) were used to bring warmth and calmness, reinforcing the idea of the home as a refuge. These choices also reflect a commitment to timelessness, sustainability, and sensory comfort.
In essence, Lina Apartment is a celebration of continuity – between eras, between people, and between architecture and daily life. It reflects an approach to design that is at once respectful of history and deeply personal, where every decision is rooted in the life lived within the space.
