“Our task was to create quiet luxury without clichéd gold and marble. We started from the target audience, which is mainly young people. It is young people who set trends and need a new look at familiar things. The location also influenced the design: the complex is built on rocky slopes near the Art Museum… So we decided to combine nature and art in a single space,” says Lisa Basova.
Odesa design studio created an art object in a new modern residential complex. Photo provided by Eliz Design studio
Symbolics
The complex's hall is a holistic artistic composition, where all elements are connected by a common idea. The first visual accent is the 2,5-meter-tall sculptural ballerinas levitating in the atrium. They personify the person as the central object of the environment, as well as lightness, innovation, and contemporary art.
Opposite them is a huge panel with an area of 200 sq. m., painted by the artist in the style of ancient rock painting. It symbolizes primitive art and a connection with history. If ballerinas are about movement and modernity, then the painting is about the origins of culture and nature.
A huge panel with an area of 200 sq. m. painted by an artist in the style of ancient rock painting. Photo provided by Eliz Design studio
Natural motifs complement the composition: the reception desk, as if carved out of a rock, refers to the terrain, the tree - to the living filling of the space, and the waterfall in the atrium personifies the same "quiet luxury" that calms residents and guests. The design is enhanced by the glass roof of the atrium, which lets in natural light, as well as open elevator shafts. Lisa Basova says that the residential complex's hall can be safely called an art object because all the elements in this space are connected by a single idea and create an artistic composition.
"Spiritualize the space"
The monumental painting was created by artist Andriy Litvinenko. According to him, the main task was to “spiritualize the space” so that when people moved in, the place would already be very cozy and full of images. The drawing hints at ancient civilizations that could have existed in this area. It was technically extremely difficult to execute: the panel is located at a height of 30 meters, goes behind the elevator shafts, and the work took place in winter, when the building did not yet have heating.
The monumental painting was created by artist Andriy Litvinenko. Photo courtesy of Eliz Design studio
“I have never encountered a more technically complex task in my entire life,” admits Andriy.
The uniqueness of the panel is added by the fact that the artist worked on it alone, without assistants. “Many people refused — they said they wouldn’t risk their lives at such a height,” he adds.
Photo provided by Eliz Design studio
Andriy explains that the entire hall is a single art object that gradually opens up as you move in an open elevator: water below, ballerinas above, and paintings on the upper levels. "It's like an exhibition where each object has its own philosophy, but they all have a strong connection," the artist concludes.
Technical solutions
One of the key design decisions was the elevator shafts, which it was decided not to “seal up”. But they were secured from the side where residents or guests could reach, the shafts were glazed to avoid the risk of injury. At the same time, the elevators are completely open on other sides. This approach allowed to preserve the lightness of the space and created the effect of a mobile observation platform.
The elevator shafts in the building were not sealed. Photo provided by Eliz Design studio
The ballerina sculptures were made by a sculptor using a 3D model by hand. First, they were made of clay, then a silicone mold was created from it, and then they were cast in fiberglass. Each detail was coordinated separately, and the weight of an individual sculpture is 35 kg.
The reception desk looks like a piece of rock, but it is actually made of plasterboard. Its surface is handmade by an artist with imitation rock and metal. Inside, cabinet furniture is built in.
The ballerina sculptures were hand-made by a sculptor based on a 3D model. Photo courtesy of Eliz Design studio
For the convenience of both residents and guests of the apart-hotel, the hall was made into a universal space with service and waiting and relaxation areas. Additional soundproofing was used in places.
Plans for the future
For Lisa Basova, this project became special. Studio implemented it on a turnkey basis, controlling every detail so that the final version fully corresponds to the initial visualizations. The designer is interested in further developing similar projects in Ukraine and integrating art into residential spaces. According to her, such bold solutions are already found in Kyiv.
Photo provided by Eliz Design studio
Although the emphasis there is not on art, but rather on design with an idea. "In the capital, due to the great competition, such details are treated very meticulously. I would like Odesa to also enter this history of design - so that the interior in residential buildings
complexes was not just a functional, but also a cultural marker,” adds Lisa Basova.
See also:
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Sculptures from the Royal Mansion are being restored in Lviv