The folded yellow volume rearranges Genova's apartment like a tetris game

bump transforms a fragmented apartment into a versatile living space

Tetris is one residential renovation project by a studio transforming a fragmented apartment in Genoa, Italyin a flexible living environment through color, geometry and specially designed elements. The project reorganizes the existing layout with a series of interconnected spaces, centered around a sculptural yellow volume that defines circulation, storage and spatial relationships throughout the house.

Before the renovation, the apartment was characterized by a series of irregular rooms arranged around a central corridor, a configuration that limited flexibility and no longer reflected modern living standards. The redesign replaces this fragmented layout with a single living area designed as a continuous and adaptable space. At the center of the new layout, a custom yellow architectural element separates the living room from the kitchen, while also restructuring the geometry of the apartment. Its folded form responds to the existing non-parallel walls, creating a connection between previously disconnected spaces. One side of the volume incorporates storage functions, including a wardrobe and entry console, while at the same time concealing access to the private areas of the house. The opposite side, suspended from an existing beam, becomes an open shelving system incorporating a curtain in the same yellow tone. This fabric layer acts as a flexible backdrop, allowing the perception of space, privacy and light to change throughout the day. A yellow strip of resin embedded in the floor extends the geometry of the volume and reinforces its role as a threshold between different areas of the apartment.

all images from Enrico Massetani

Colors, volumes and materials intertwine like Tetris pieces

Behind the curtain, the kitchen is defined by a center island finished in sodalite blue. Its prominent geometric form defines the focal point of the room while incorporating functional elements such as the sink, dishwasher and a cantilever snack bar. The reflective surface interacts with the changing natural light, adding depth to the compact space. In contrast, the kitchen units along the back wall adopt a restrained palette of materials and colours, with minimal surfaces, no cupboards and a continuous shelf that combines display and task lighting. A hidden door inside the yellow volume leads to the circulation area connecting the bedrooms, bathroom and service areas. The master bedroom introduces a contrasting element of ottanio green through a lowered wardrobe that sits below the existing ceiling trim. The same color continues behind the bed, forming an integrated headboard. A circular opening allows natural light to pass between the bedroom and wardrobe, while matching curtains provide the option to completely separate the spaces and create a more enclosed atmosphere. In the bathroom, the design addresses the irregular geometry of the apartment through a newly defined back wall that contains two recesses for the sink and shower. Different finishes create a contrast between the two cavities, while horizontal resin surfaces at different heights form the bench and shower base, reinforcing the project’s emphasis on layered geometric relationships.

Through the combination of color, custom furniture and spatial interventions, Tetris by bump studio reorganizes a complex partition into a coherent architectural system. Similar to the logic of play from which it takes its name, each element is placed in a larger composition where volumes, functions and materials intertwine to form a contemporary domestic environment.

Tetris transforms a fragmented apartment into a flexible living environment