Glass-block Micro House / ROOM+ Design & Build

Curated by Hana Abdel

Architects: ROOM+ Design & Build
Area: 60 m²
Year: 2019
Photographs:SM Art Studio
Manufacturers: SketchUp, AutoCAD, Galaxy Glass & Stone, INAX, M&A art tiles, MPE Lightings, PT&T, Star Blinds, TOSHIBA, V-Asia
Engineering: ROOM+ Design & Build
Consultants: ROOM+ Life
Landscape: ROOM+ Life

Text description provided by the architects. An urban tiny house located at a 18-square-meter site in an alleyway has been renovated to fit the owner's needs. The old house was partly damaged and abandoned for months and very dark inside with brick walls and columns as the main load-bearing structure. The design brief asked for an affordable and artistic renovation to accommodate the owners’ start-up leather shop and their living space with two bedrooms.

We proposed a creative solution by carefully removing two old brick facades then replace them with glass-block facades and integrated windows together with new minimal steel structure. The translucent glass-block facades on the North-East and South-East engage natural light and ventilation without losing the privacy, and also make the building blend with the surroundings during the day. At night, when lights on, the house become a magically sparkling lantern in the middle of the neighborhood.

The pergola on the top is a feature element of the built-form. The design of pergola is based on the square shape of the glass-block and considered as the outer skin of the facade which gives space for desirable plantings, enhances the privacy, and minimizes the heat gain to the interior space. The dimensions of the square windows are multiplied by the 190Wx190H mm dimension of a glass-block. The windows not only allow for natural light and ventilation but are also considered as connectors between the indoor space and the outside.

The service and circulation spaces including the bathrooms and staircases are positioned at the West to prevent solar heat gain getting into the main space. The ground floor is dedicated to the owners' leather showroom with some display windows and integrated glass shelving. The kitchen, laundry, staircase and a small toilet are purposely hidden behind sliding glass doors which are only opened when necessary. The first level accommodates a compact bedroom suite with the bathroom and wardrobe seamlessly hidden behind glass partitions. The bedroom, bathroom, storage space, and furniture are altogether in a compact 14 square meter space. This space has merely two colors: the green of the traditional cement floor tiling and the banana-leaf patterned film applied on glass doors; and the neutral warm tone of the wooden furniture and soft furnishing.

The second level accommodates the cozy master bedroom suite with a landscaped balcony. The bathroom is a minimalist design featuring a delightful glass-block shower. The sunlight is filtered by the plantings as well as the translucent glass-blocks facades before lightening the interior space. The glass windows in various sizes are wisely positioned to open the view to the landscape yet avoid direct sight from the neighboring houses to enhance privacy and comfort. The facades can be closed off thanks to the full-size roller blinds. The furniture is space-saving and carefully designed with natural wood and traditional bamboo sheets. The floors are finished with traditionally flora-patterned cement tile. The combination of contemporary and traditional materials in a minimalist approach makes one's spatial experience seem both freshly new and closely familiar at the same time.