Light-filled contemporary hall with panoramic windows, staircase niches and shelving, warm spotlighting and a concrete floor

Contemporary office lounge: a sofa and two armchairs in the foreground by an illuminated wall, shelving and a light-coloured floor, minimalist style

Light-filled contemporary hall with floor-to-ceiling glazing, grey walls and niches, tiled flooring and warm ceiling spotlights

Light-filled contemporary corridor with a niche area of geometric panels, warm lighting and grey flooring

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Common areas · Contemporary

Design project for common areas and entrances, 550 m²

Common areas · 550 m² · Completed

01 / 05

About the project

A common area design project for a comfort-class residential quarter: 550 m² of lobbies, lift lobbies, shared corridors, a co-working space and service rooms. One design language of timber-effect battens, concrete-effect tile and copper metal panels ties every area into a single image.

Client request

Design the common areas of a comfort-class residential quarter, from the entrances and the lift lobbies to the co-working spaces, the pram stores and the dog wash. Every area had to work as one environment that residents and guests read at a glance.

Challenge

The common areas of a comfort-class residential quarter had to set a high standard from the doorstep, from the entrances through to the pram stores. The task was to bring elegance and function into one scenario, and to make every room light and easy to use for residents and guests alike.

Concept

One design language, in which timber-effect battens soften the neutral ground of concrete-effect tile while copper metal panels set an accent rhythm in the lift lobbies. Geometric wayfinding and the logo on the walls turn the common areas into a recognisable place with a character of its own. The same language scales to the entrances and the waiting areas, where warm timber and soft light make the first impression that the lift lobbies and corridors then pick up.

Result

The entrances were given a contemporary reading: timber-effect battens, soft lighting, leather armchairs in terracotta tones. Large windows fill the space with light, while shelving and greenery make it welcoming. The same character holds across all the common areas: the lift lobbies, the corridors, the pram stores and the co-working space.

Trust metrics

550 m²

Floor area

15 months

Design period

01 Zone

Design of the entrance and the waiting area

The entrances are held in a warm palette: timber-effect battens on the ceiling soften the geometry of the way in, and recessed lighting picks out the architecture and the decor gently. Large windows bring daylight from the doorstep.

The waiting area has leather armchairs and a sofa in warm brown, coffee tables, greenery in planters and shelving along the walls. A geometric logo on the wall and contrasting finishes keep the mood of a calm, comfortable wait.

The ground-floor halls and corridors are finished in pale concrete-effect tile, which widens the space visually and holds a sense of cleanliness. Geometric drawings on the walls and downlights carry on the language of the complex.

Niche by the entrance with an orange upholstered bench and cushions, doors to a bathroom and a pet-washing room alongside

Cosy entrance hall with a view of the guest area: a leather sofa, graphic lighting and a wooden slatted ceiling, warm light

View of the entrance area from outside through the open glass doors of the vestibule

Entrance vestibule with hinged doors, where residents enter from the street

02 Zone

Lift lobbies

The lift lobbies use contemporary materials: metal panels with a copper texture set up a contrast with the smooth surfaces of the walls and ceilings. That contrast underlines the standing of the space.

Wayfinding plates with apartment numbers for each block and floor indicators are built into the finish of the hall, so residents and guests find their bearings quickly. Large windows and considered lighting keep daylight in the space through the day, and decorative plants add a note of nature.

Lift lobby in a residential complex: two lift cars in portals finished to look like brown stone, light lines around the ceiling perimeter

Contemporary-style hall: a lift behind a glass-and-metal portal, illuminated niches and wall lights, warm light, light-coloured floor, view into the depth of the space

Light-filled hall with an entrance door and a lift set in a niche, warm lighting and a louvred ceiling, concrete and stone

Lift lobby with lift doors on both sides and a sign showing the section's apartment numbers

03 Zone

Shared corridor and lift lobby

The shared corridor is finished in neutral tones that keep it calm and comfortable. Timber battens on the ceiling and recessed linear lighting give a soft light and make the corridor worth looking at. Good wall finishes and pale floor tile make the space durable and easy to keep. Contrasting door panels and minimal apartment numbers bring it up to date. All the services are neatly worked into the design, which keeps the corridor comfortable and convenient for residents.

Lift lobby on a floor with two lifts and a door to the stairwell

Common corridor on the second floor with lifts on both sides and the floor number on the wall

Lift lobby with a sign for floor no. 12, potted plants by the window

Common corridor with lifts, mirrored finishes and an entrance-block signage plate

Common corridor with a row of apartment doors, warm lighting around the ceiling perimeter

Close-up of apartment door no. 62, with the number on a copper-toned metal plate

Common corridor with apartment doors on both sides and panels resembling rusted metal

Corridor with two apartment doors, decorative lighting and concrete-look floor tiles

04 Zone

Washroom and dog wash

The washroom and the dog wash are finished in pale tile, water-resistant and easy to clean. Lighting at ceiling level gives a soft light that does not dazzle and widens the space visually.

The dog wash has a shower and a basin for dogs coming in from a walk. The washroom has a wall-hung WC and built-in storage: nothing surplus, and order in plain sight.

Bathroom with a wall-hung toilet, a washbasin on a vanity unit and a mirror in a warm copper-toned niche

Pet-washing room with a low shower tray, a handheld shower and a basin for washing pets

05 Zone

Pram stores

The pram stores are generous, light rooms fitted out for keeping prams and bicycles. Considered zoning and purpose-made mountings make sensible use of the space, while large windows and recessed fittings give natural, even light. Pale finishes widen the room visually and make it a comfortable place for residents to use.

Pram and bicycle storage room with wall-mounted bicycle racks, a pram and a ball

Pram and bicycle storage room by a panoramic window, with a bicycle on a wall rack and prams

06 Zone

Letterboxes and wayfinding

The letterboxes and the wayfinding were worked out down to the smallest detail, for convenience as much as for appearance. Wayfinding inside the complex is carried by clear, legible signs for entrances and blocks.

Geometric elements and minimal pictograms help people find their bearings quickly. Calm tones and good materials underline the standard of the design and the attention paid to detail.

The letterboxes are contemporary and minimal: metal sections with clear numbering and separate compartments for larger parcels, placed conveniently and within easy reach by the entrance, so that residents can collect post without trouble.

Light-filled corridor with niches and two white doors, matte walls, concealed ceiling and floor lighting, minimalist style

Wall of mailboxes by the entrance area, with parcel-locker sections and signage

Wall of mailboxes in a residential complex, with numbering and sections for large parcels

Entrance doors of the vestibule with a view over the city, mailbox walls on either side

Section of mailboxes on the wall by the stairs near the entrance

Niche for mailboxes and parcel lockers with a decorative geometric pattern

07 Zone

Co-working areas

The co-working areas give residents a comfortable place to work, made pleasant by large windows and daylight. Desks by the windows have comfortable chairs and power sockets, so it is possible to work or study properly. Decorative touches such as living plants and timber battens on the ceiling add warmth and balance, while recessed lighting keeps the light even. Contemporary materials and a good finish underline the standard of the design and make these areas well suited to remote work or study without leaving the building.

Contemporary living room with a niche by the window: an upholstered bench and two chairs, concrete walls and warm light, panoramic windows

Co-working area by the entrance with a counter, two stools and a potted tree

Co-working area with a bookshelf, a desk and a view of the mailboxes

Your project

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Documents

A complete documentation set

This is the common area project documentation as the developer received it.

PDF

Scope of work

PDF

Concept design

PDF

Wayfinding plan

PDF

Working drawings and diagrams

PDF

Project budget

Journal

Common areas in a residential complex: how lobbies, halls and corridors are designed

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the project

Which spaces were included in the 550 m² common area design?

The project covers the building's whole sequence of shared spaces: entrance areas with a waiting zone, lift lobbies, corridors between apartments, pram rooms, a washroom with a dog-washing room, a mail area and a coworking space. The developer wanted to set the building's standard from the threshold and hold it all the way to the pram rooms, so every space shares one material language. Design took 15 months, and the project has been completed.

Which materials hold the 550 m² of common areas together in one style?

The backdrop is pale concrete-effect tiling in the lobbies and corridors, which visually widens the spaces and is easy to clean. Wood-effect slats on the ceilings of the entrance areas, corridors and coworking space add warmth. In the lift lobbies the accent comes from copper-textured metal panels that contrast with the smooth walls and ceiling.

How does the entrance area greet residents?

The entrance has a warm palette. Ceiling slats soften the geometry, integrated lighting picks out the architecture, and large windows bring daylight right to the doors. The waiting area has brown leather armchairs and a sofa, coffee tables, shelving along the walls and plants in planters. The complex's geometric logo is mounted on the wall.

How does wayfinding by section and floor work in the common areas?

Entrance and section signs, apartment numbers and floor markers are built into the lobby finishes instead of being added later as separate plaques. Pictograms and geometric patterns on the walls continue the graphics of the logo. Clearly numbered mailboxes with separate compartments for large parcels stand by the entrance, where residents pass every day.

Why do the common areas include a dog-washing room, and how are the pram rooms designed?

The dog-washing room has a shower and a sink, so a dog can be washed after a walk without bringing dirt into the building. Next to it is a washroom with a wall-hung toilet and built-in storage, and both rooms are finished in pale moisture-resistant tiles. The pram rooms have fixings for prams and bicycles, windows and built-in lights.