Project Overview
The retired couple wanted to install an elevator in their four-story house, which is more than 25 years old, to make their home barrier-free. Considering that the existing layout can no longer meet the future living needs, the design team demolished the original layout and reconfigured the vertical route, which not only eliminates the disadvantage of the long and narrow corridor that is closed and dark but also reorganizes the corners to make full use of the space. It is worth mentioning that to solve the problem of poor lighting, the design team has created a patio in the center of the roof to introduce the sunlight to the staircase, thus making the clients' daily life more comfortable and spacious.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Chien-Hwan Wang, Ya-Chun Chang, Tien-Tien Kuo
Project Brief
The team selected blue in various shades and materials as the carrier of the vertical space. For example, the Prussian blue steel staircase that extends from the first floor to the patio is complemented by vertical and horizontal volume inlays in various areas, including TV cabinets, storage cabinets, wall panels, and kitchen tiles. At the same time, the warp and weft weave of the Bolon carpet can be seen from different angles with different shades of weave patterns, and the difference between gray and blue makes the connection in the space more harmonious. The public space on the first floor has a special touch of Art Deco style. The design team chose metal elements as the edge lines and lighting fixtures and added totem elements on the façade to match, successfully embellishing the decorative elements in the space, giving the space a different and elegant atmosphere.
Project Innovation/Need
With a modern style, the design team chose blue as the main tone of the space, expecting to create a low-key and calm atmosphere. At the same time, the design team combines traditional totems and metal parts with various design techniques to realize the rich layers of different materials in the same tone. In addition to reorganizing the vertical route of the space and installing an elevator, the public area is also designed with a transparent route and multifunctional activity area. The house is now more spacious and brighter, fulfilling the client's expectations of a vacation-like lifestyle. The private areas have excellent lighting in the bedrooms, allowing sufficient daylight and efficient use of space. Each bedroom is equipped with a dressing room and a double bed. Meanwhile, the small bathrooms have been re-planned to improve ventilation and lighting, which not only enhances the user experience but also improves the quality of the space by redesigning the bathroom equipment and materials.
Design Challenge
When the design team re-planned the vertical route, in addition to avoiding beams and floor slabs, they also had to confirm whether the location, depth, and size of the elevator shaft met the requirements of equipment and evaluate the structural strength of the building with structural technicians before finalizing the plan. Due to the inaccurate construction of the building, the depth of the beams differed from the design drawings, and the design team could not determine the depth of the equipment underneath the building. This situation tested the team's ability to make immediate adjustments during the project, including the replacement of elevator models to meet installation standards.
Sustainability
This project uses Bolon carpets that meet the stander of Green Mark. Compared with general flooring materials, it is wear-resistant, easy to clean, and recyclable, in line with the concept of sustainability. Besides, in this project, except for the storage room, all the other rooms have windows, and the master bathroom on the second floor uses concrete tiles to maintain ventilation. Meanwhile, the design team also created a patio so that there are no more dark corners in the house. On sunny days, the clients can even have meals and daily activities without using lights, which will show sustainability, energy-saving, and carbon reduction in the long term.
Interior Design - International Residential - Large
This award celebrates innovative and creative building interiors with consideration given to space creation and planning, furnishings, finishes and aesthetic presentation. Consideration also given to space allocation, traffic flow, building services, lighting, fixtures, flooring, colours, furnishings and surface finishes.
More Details