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Alexander Tischler redesigned an 84-square-meter apartment for a couple and their two daughters, working around low ceilings, a central structural pillar and a dark hallway. The project uses glass bricks, warm colors and integrated technology to connect the owners’ Soviet-era childhood memories with contemporary family needs.
Architect Karen Karapetian of Alexander Tischler redesigned an 84-square-meter apartment for a couple and their two daughters, combining a retro palette and glass-brick details with storage, soundproofing and other modern features. The project, called Back in the U.S.S.R., responds to the family’s Soviet-era childhood memories while addressing a compact three-room layout with low ceilings, a central load-bearing pillar and a dark, awkward hallway, according to a report by Livingetc.
The owners wanted brighter living areas, an 18-square-meter bedroom for their daughters, a primary bedroom with a workspace and en-suite bathroom, and a separate office for the father, who is a poet. Karapetian said the plan required a substantial rethink, but that the team made only minimal, targeted changes to the existing layout because of structural limitations.
A firm part of the brief was to avoid gray. The apartment instead uses a warm, varied palette: pistachio kitchen cabinetry, amber tiles, a terracotta guest bathroom, an olive-green sofa and a turquoise entryway. Textures include fluted glass, textured plaster and herringbone quartz parquet, which Karapetian said changes how light is reflected across the floor.
Glass bricks are used in the primary en-suite wall, running along the ceiling and around a corner to the floor. The designer said they bring natural light into the bathroom and create reflections, alongside a fluted-glass partition. The kitchen’s two refrigerators are concealed in built-in cabinetry, while custom storage and furniture help limit visual clutter. The report also describes climate control with air purification and soundproofing.
How the Design Balances Memory and Use
The project illustrates how a personal design brief can shape a home without requiring its rooms to become a literal period recreation. The owners’ references to their childhood informed the colors, glass bricks, small tiles and herringbone flooring, while contemporary storage and building systems serve the needs of a family of four.
That balance matters in a home with limited space and fixed structural elements. Rather than treating the central pillar and low ceilings as details that could simply be removed, the design team worked around them while fitting in separate spaces for work, sleep and family life. The report does not provide measurements of the apartment’s performance or independent assessments; it describes the design choices and the architect’s account of the project.
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The Apartment’s Structural Constraints
The apartment is in a new development, but its three-room plan presented difficulties, according to Karapetian: relatively low ceilings, a substantial load-bearing pillar in the center and an unusually shaped hallway with little natural light. Those restrictions shaped the renovation and limited how far the existing plan could be changed.
The design was titled Back in the U.S.S.R., an ironic reference to the Beatles’ 1968 song of the same name. Karapetian described the title as a nod to the owners’ memories, rather than an attempt to reproduce a historical interior. The report says that familiar forms and materials sit alongside clean lines and modern home technology.
“Absolutely”
— Karen Karapetian, architect at Alexander Tischler, as quoted by Livingetc
Details the Report Does Not Provide
The report does not state the apartment’s location, renovation cost, completion date or the full extent of the construction work. It also does not provide technical specifications for the soundproofing, climate-control or air-purification systems, or independent evidence about their performance.
Karapetian’s descriptions of the design and its benefits are attributed to the architect; the source does not include separate comments from the owners. It is also not clear whether the project involved changes to plumbing, electrical systems or other building services.
No Further Project Milestones Listed
Livingetc’s report presents the apartment as a completed design project and gives no upcoming construction milestone, opening date or follow-up announcement. The source also does not say whether Alexander Tischler plans to publish additional technical details or client feedback.
For now, the reported development is the apartment’s redesign: a tailored response to the family’s layout needs and aesthetic preferences, using glass bricks, warm colors and concealed storage within the existing structural limits.
Key Questions
What is the apartment project called?
The project is called Back in the U.S.S.R., an ironic reference to the Beatles’ 1968 song of the same name.
Who designed the apartment?
Karen Karapetian of the design studio Alexander Tischler led the project, according to Livingetc.
How large is the apartment, and who lives there?
The apartment measures 84 square meters and is occupied by a creative couple and their two daughters, the report says.
Why were glass bricks used?
Glass bricks form part of a wall in the primary en-suite bathroom. Karapetian said they bring in natural light and create reflections and texture.
What major constraints shaped the redesign?
The apartment had low ceilings, a central load-bearing pillar and a dark hallway with awkward geometry. The designer said these restrictions shaped the reworked plan.
Source: livingetc.com
