Inspired by their client’s trip to Hans Scharoun’s Schminke House in Germany, Moscow practice Room Design Büro fills some very big shoes, capturing the modernist icon’s sense and spirit all within a tiny 27 square metre apartment.

Using photos of the Schminke House as a basis for the project and integrating influences from Bauhaus, Modernism and Russian constructivist architecture, Büro has paired practicality with playfulness to form a comfortable home for one.

No strangers to working within such a small footprint, the layout is simple and functional. A full size bathroom, fully functional kitchen, nook bed, hidden desk and cosy leisure space all sit in agreeable harmony. Arranged across two different floor heights, it pragmatically separates the recreation areas from the utility rooms while cosmetically adding low window sills, a look the client loves.

Built-in furniture and flooring in stained timber became a focal point of the interior, an arresting expression of Soviet architecture that the designers sought to separate from any negative connotations. As they elaborate “our goal was to prove that design exists independently from the time and challenges of that period. Once you abstract away from negative associations, you can purely enjoy Soviet architecture, design, philosophy and even domestic life.”

The aesthetics are rigorous and rational, an exposed wall on the window side along with a structural column remain untouched, a nod to the beauty of Russian constructivism while the furniture is staunchly modernist in form. Classics like the Philippe Starck lemon squeezer came from the clients’ personal collection while most furniture pieces were sourced from marketplace websites and Instagram pages – the modern day thrift.

Notably, the black leather armchair, discovered on a vintage store on Instagram from an unknown manufacturer, ties the whole space together.

As Büro stated – “We all liked it, and it’s terrific how well it integrated into our design space. After it arrived, we felt like a crystal ashtray and the smell of tobacco are the only things that are missing. It appears that we created an interior 18+.”

Age restrictions aside, this tiny apartment is utilitarian and a bit sexy, proving that big isn’t always best.

[Images courtesy of Room Design Büro. Photography by Polina Poludkina.]