The concept for this striking penthouse, developed within a late nineteenth century residence in Königstein, was to strip everything back to its essential quality. All existing interior walls were removed and a steel A-Frame introduced to achieve a 7m double height, column free space.

A mezzanine floor detailed with a glass balustrade forms the sleeping area, below which three large folding wall panels enable the open plan format to be subdivided into a series of smaller, more intimate spaces.

As the exterior fabric of the building is protected by an historic preservation order, the project's new glazing complements the fenestration of the apartments below.

The visual impact of technology is kept to a minimum; a comprehensive computer controlled system, neatly concealed within the fabric of the interior, manages the apartment's heating and lighting requirements, delivering, as part of its programme, fourteen different illumination scenarios via a series of bespoke lamps. The apartment’s indirect lighting is subtly integrated into the full-length cupboards and window niches.