DDAANN adds minimal guest house to cyclist's home

Czech architecture studio DDAANN has converted the lower level of a spacious apartment in Prague to create a guest house and a meeting point for group cycling trips.

The apartment, which is owned by a keen cyclist, was spacious enough to allow the ground floor to become a space for visiting family or guests.

Although the additional area is relatively small in size, it is completely self-contained, and has its own separate kitchen with a bar-cum-dining table.

"We created the guest house for those who visiting the family from abroad and for longer periods of time," said the architects. "It has a complete infrastructure to enable them to stay in touch without ever getting the feeling that they are a nuisance."

"The owner also starts his cycling trips here whenever the guest house is not occupied, and there are some spare bikes in a storage room," they added.

With the exception of the bathroom, every amenity is in the same room.

A wooden framework is used to define each area, including the kitchen and sleeping area towards the back of the property.

A low-level bookshelf runs along the length of the right-hand-side wall, and incorporates a desk and a round mirror.

In the hall, which is connected to the bathroom and storage room, a yellow-coloured cupboard displays the owner's beloved road bike.

Swedish designer Karl Mikael Ling similarly designed a storage system intended to simultaneously store and show off a bicycle in a small apartment.

Coloured elements are intended to break up the stark white interior. A bright blue-coloured lighting fixture hangs above the dining table, along with four olive green-coloured chairs.

"We pointed our attention on the selection of optical zones between kitchen and bedroom," said the architects. "The apartment was cleaned out and the old kitchen replaced by newly designed custom furniture and high-quality chairs."