1110 Apartment / Atelier 12

Architect: atelier 12
Area: 62 m²
Year: 2019
Photographs: Chimnon studio
Lead Architects: Dang Duc Viet
City: Hoàng Mai District, Hanoi
Country: Vietnam

The 1110 apartment, designed by atelier 12, reinterprets compact living in Hanoi through a renovation that prioritizes openness, flexibility, and material character. Within its 62-square-meter footprint, the original two-bedroom configuration left little space for circulation and daylight. The redesign simplifies the plan by removing one bedroom, allowing the living area to expand and become the central focus of daily life. A former bathroom is repurposed as storage and laundry, while the balcony evolves into a planted transition space that bridges the private and communal zones. The use of reclaimed timber, glass, plywood, and cement introduces a language of raw textures and natural finishes, reinforcing both economy and warmth. Furniture is designed with precision, serving specific purposes without overwhelming the compact setting. By reducing enclosed partitions and encouraging adaptable living patterns, the apartment proposes a model of urban housing that balances restraint with comfort, showing how architectural clarity can transform the challenges of limited space into an opportunity for a richer way of living.

My favorite project is Apartment 1110, the apartment I currently live in. It may not be my best work, but it holds special meaning because I get to live in a space I designed myself. The space evolves every day with life, offering countless lessons and ongoing experiences.
Interview with Đặng Đức Việt of atelier 12

The renovation of the 1110 apartment reflects atelier 12’s commitment to reconsidering the possibilities of compact housing in rapidly densifying Hanoi. Where the initial layout divided the apartment into small, enclosed rooms, the new design privileges continuity and light, establishing a flexible interior that adapts to contemporary living. The subtraction of one bedroom is more than a spatial adjustment; it marks a shift in priorities, placing collective life, adaptability, and visual openness above the rigid subdivision of functions.

Materiality becomes a central narrative in this transformation. The architects retained and reconfigured existing timber elements, crafting them into two bespoke tables whose exposed structures are revealed beneath glass tops. This interplay between solidity and transparency prevents shadows from darkening the floor and underscores the careful consideration of detail. The kitchen area, defined by an indigo-stained plywood cabinet and a yellow cement wall, introduces a vivid counterpoint within the otherwise restrained palette, reinforcing the role of color and texture in articulating zones without adding physical partitions.

The balcony, often overlooked as a residual outdoor edge, is reimagined as a planted threshold that mediates between the living space and the bedroom. Acting simultaneously as a garden, buffer, and connector, it brings softness to the apartment while introducing a sensory link to nature. This transformation embodies the project’s larger philosophy: the belief that compact living can remain generous if spaces are allowed to overlap and respond fluidly to changing needs.

Beyond its immediate design interventions, the apartment contributes to broader conversations about urban housing in Vietnam. In many new residential blocks, efficiency of layout is prioritized over quality of experience, resulting in units that are technically functional yet spatially oppressive.

atelier 12 challenges this convention by embracing subtraction, adaptability, and selectivity, showing that comfort arises not from maximizing room count but from careful calibration of light, space, and material. The 1110 apartment thus serves as both a home and a statement, demonstrating how architectural thinking can enrich even the smallest of spaces in the dense fabric of Hanoi.