In Gdańsk, em² shapes Amber Apartment as a quiet counterpoint to the pace of city life, designed as a place of retreat for clients drawn to the Baltic Sea and the restorative presence of art and nature.
Conceived as a holiday-minded interior, the project tempers the apartment’s raw, angular shell with softened geometry and a warm, light material palette.
Curved forms guide the design from the outset. A gently arcing oak built-in becomes the project’s central structure, organising daily living while allowing movement to feel open and unforced. In the entrance hall, a large-format mirror expands the threshold to the main living area, pulling daylight deeper into the plan and brightening the apartment’s darker passages.
Material decisions are grounded in finishes associated with landscape and touch. Italian travertine, bleached oak, architectural concrete, clay plasters and natural wool fabrics create a calm base that stays consistent across rooms, shifting in proportion rather than changing direction. In the main bedroom, oak joinery takes prominence against a travertine headboard, while the bathrooms give travertine centre stage through sculptural basins and stone-lined bath and shower enclosures. In the study and guest room, a wardrobe transitions seamlessly into wall cladding, forming a continuous oak surface with a wave-like contour.
In the shared areas, the floor is cast in architectural concrete and inlaid with travertine slabs, producing an oversized terrazzo effect that adds texture without introducing contrast. The kitchen island anchors the main space, supported by a substantial travertine leg that doubles as a bar, its profile shaped in response to the room’s geometry. Nearby, a custom round oak dining table rests on three turned legs, and the living room is completed by a shelving unit designed to integrate television and audio equipment.
