Concrete Apartment, a simple, black-and-white photo interior in Russia, was designed by design studio Art Bureau 11. Solovieva and Ilya Klimov didn't even think they had such an apartment. They were always working on different projects, so much so that their unpredictability began to be considered a signature style in itself. When clients came to Ilya Klimov, they did not come with specific requirements, they wanted a common understanding of the space.

The Windows define everything here: the client loved the view of the alleys around Shepherd's Pond, while the designer was drawn to the light pouring out of them. The Windows face in different directions and during the day there are incredible shadows in the apartment. The hostess was a strict and methodical person, which also contributed to the image of the apartment. So, things are subject to this game of light and shadow, and are not disturbed by unnecessary details.

Minimalism actually requires complexity -- otherwise it would be dull and lifeless. The apartment's ideally-rendered walls were decorated by Alena Vilyukova using a mixture of paints, varnishes and waxes to achieve what Elena Solovieva called a pulsating effect.

The steel base in the living room seems to be spiked, but it's actually perfectly smooth; A console throughout the room is built on the contrast between polished concrete and wood; The marble walls of the kitchen are paired with Ekaterina Rozhkova's graphic work, which depicts the details of a certain mechanism. "What is important is not the decorative effect, but the touch, temperature and reflective properties of the material," Elena said.