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Architects: ST Design Studio
- Area: 100 m²
- Year: 2021
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Photographs:Hey! Cheese
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Lead Architect: Szuti Tsai
Text description provided by the architects. Located in the suburban district of Taipei City, this apartment is in the residential quarters at the border of the mountainside and close to a small forest. Located on the 5th floor, the apartment is right in the dense part of the tree branches. The whole concept is inspired by trees. We wanted to create a “Tree House” like an apartment, a greenish, ventilated, and tranquil place where its inhabitant can feel its natural environment, a peaceful and undisturbed space from the outside world.
This Apartment contains two floors, the first floor is the main living area which includes a living/dining space, a kitchen, one bedroom, and one bathroom. Going up the stairs, you will find a studio and a guest room. First, we pushed back the boundary and restored the original balcony by demolishing the extra bay window, we lost a bit of indoor space but improved the natural lighting and ventilation, and it actually gives a sense of open space. The ceiling is made of plywood panels with natural texture and color. it emphasizes the trees as the most important element for the whole design and softens the restricted feeling caused by the low ceiling height.
The originally hidden stair is opened up, and the steps are made wider and safer. The steps are made with perforated metal panels, and the railing is made with metal meshes. Which makes the stair construction looks lighter, and also lets natural lighting penetrate down through. The bathroom can reach the balcony on the backside directly. We use a glass sliding door to let the light penetrate through the living area.
The owner of the house loves to travel and art, he owns lots of art pieces, which include his own paintings. The studio upstairs is totally white and functions as the owner's private gallery to exhibit his collections and own works. For materials, we used simple, fundamental, and honest materials. like plywood, bare concrete, and clay tiles, we tried to keep it simple and not offer a strong sense of style. The focus is to create a calm space and feel disconnected from reality.
Here, we try to explore the original idea of the architect more than 40 years ago. Although it’s hard to restore it to its original state because it has already undergone several modifications, we try to go back to the essential concept of creating a light and simple space for a private and peaceful lifestyle.
