The architecture of apartments in the city centre points to a design that allows escape from city’s hustle and bustle, turning the living space into a peaceful oasis.  The adaptation of the R88 apartment establishes this type of contrast to the environment by elegantly playing with forms, materials and ambiences that introduce the ease and warmth of modern living into the inherited architecture of the building.

By developing a circular walking scheme as an inherited element of the apartment, it was possible to transform segments of the entire living area in a new modern manner.  Introducing the zone of the study in the place of the former dining room, the increasingly pronounced need for working from home was answered, thus creating a subtle intertwining of the living room and the kitchen areas. The design of the study as a warm area with wooden elements and enhanced natural lighting resulted in a space that simultaneously functions as a separate, isolated fragment, and as an inseparable part of the whole apartment.

 The materialization of the central core in the living zone emphasizes the circular movement between different functional units, which creates a modern architectural expression in homage to the scheme of using the space characteristic of the inherited architecture of the building. By improving the existing structure according to the "Belgrade School" principles of housing, circular communication around the sanitary block becomes expanded and enriched with adequate content. Communications expand into a continuous, fluid flow, while the micro-ambiences of the apartment line up according to the needs of a contemporary user.

The flow of the apartment as a single unit is emphasized by the continual lines and materials, which create a visually balanced space. With subtle transformations, the user's gaze is guided through different segments – both spatial and ambient. The elegant transitions between the segments of the apartment contribute to the difference in ceiling heights so that the diversity between the public and intimate spaces of the apartment can be recognized. The bedroom block is also treated with a minimalist architectural expression, building on the same palette of materials.

Hidden doors, which become an integral segment of the wall, allow different configurations of use and movement through the apartment, while the sliding panel in the dining area allows the space to be used through several modes – from socializing by the bar to peaceful relaxation with a book. Roller blinds with 2% light permeability build on the topic of rapid change of the character of space depending on the user’s needs. Viewing the ambiences and their shades and reflective surfaces while walking through the apartment, makes the whole apartment feel like a dynamic structure.

The elegant living space is created by a careful adaptation and modernization of the existing spatial context with warm tones, as well as calm and clear geometric strokes, complying with the method of transformation in the spirit of contemporary context, which creates a bright and flowing oasis in response to the escape from the hive of activity of the city streets.