During the real estate boom of the early 2000’s, many of central Budapest’s old palaces had been given back their old glory. Many of them had been converted to high-grade offices, some to mixed commercial-residential buildings. One of these is Palazzo Dorottya.

Palazzo Dorottya was used until recently as bank with offices and some residences on its upper most levels. The 18th Century building shell was in a condition which encouraged retention, and this skin was rehabilitated and returned to its former glory, while inserting at its centre an entirely modern building. The courtyard of the palazzo is there fore entirely of its time, while its shell, retains the former historic qualities of the original.

This apartment on the uppermost level features soaring ceilings, and modern, minimalistic furniture. The part I love the most is the modern countertop and the clever way the architect made the structural beams an integral part of the interior…

The place is for rent, so if you have EUR 2900 a month, take a look here.

The building was last renovated in the ’60s, and honestly, it shows. Full renovation would cost upwards of 3 million dollars, but these days its close surroundings are being completely remodeled, so there is hope.

Which is even better for the owners of this exceptional loft: it has the industrial look, the  bare beams, but when you step outside the building, you find yourself not in an industrial area, but in the middle of the city.

What makes it even more interesting is the tower. (yes, the apartment is in one of the big towers at the top!).

The view of the tower when you look up from the living room.

In a tower, you’ll see quite a lot of stairs.

It would have been difficult – and not too elegant either – to stack a wardrobe against the wall, so the owners opted for a freestanding one, also serving as a headboard on the other side.

The entire apartment is a single space, divided by sliding doors.

The licing room, in the middle of the tower is the heart of the house.

The circular layout warrants a similarly bold kitchen setup: the kitchen is also a one-off piece, created just for this space.

And of course, if nothing else matters, the view certainly does.

Oh, actually it’s currently available for rent, too.