A 55 sqm apartment in a 1930s rationalist building in Rome is reimagined by OUT Architecture through a bold kitchen-centered design. A sculptural terracotta volume anchors the space, transforming the kitchen into the home’s defining architectural element. The result is a fluid, cohesive interior where the identity of the kitchen furniture shapes the spatial atmosphere.
Set within a 1930s rationalist building in Rome, this 55 sqm apartment by OUT Architecture is defined by a bold and highly articulated kitchen composition that emerges as the project’s central architectural gesture.
At the heart of the space, a warm terracotta-toned kitchen volume emerges as a sculptural centerpiece.
More than a place for cooking, it operates as a spatial engine—integrating storage, appliances, and work surfaces into a single, continuous form that extends assertively into the living area. Its presence transforms the kitchen into both object and infrastructure.
This central kitchen element carves the apartment with precision. It directs movement, frames perspectives, and establishes a spatial hierarchy, where all domestic life unfolds around it.
The design challenges conventional domestic layouts by dissolving the boundaries between kitchen and living space. Rather than isolating functions, the composition embraces interaction, positioning the kitchen as an active participant in everyday life. The surrounding areas remain fluid and adaptable, orbiting the solidity of the central volume.
Soft curves and rounded transitions refine the kitchen’s geometry, softening its assertiveness while enhancing its tactile presence. These gestures introduce a sense of intimacy, allowing the boldness of the intervention to coexist with a domestic, lived-in atmosphere.
The material palette reinforces this hierarchy.
Crisp white surfaces amplify light and recede into the background, allowing the saturated kitchen volume to stand out with clarity and depth.
Dark wooden flooring anchors the composition, adding warmth and contrast, while carefully integrated details—flush cabinetry, concealed storage, and seamless junctions—underscore the precision of the design.
Circulation unfolds and transitions become fluid as a direct response to the kitchen’s placement. Corners dissolve, edges blur, and spatial distinctions become secondary to the overall experience.
The project proposes a home where the kitchen is an expressive, organizing force that defines how apartment space is perceived, navigated, and lived.
Drawings
Facts & Credits
Title bold
Typology Design
Location Rome, Italy
Status Completed, 2026
Architecture OUT Architecture
Photography Federico Farinatti
Text by the authors