Project Overview
The project is a renovation of a 40-year-old house. The designer improves the space and takes the natural element "daylight" as a highlight. Stylistically, light colors decorate public and private areas with arcs and trims. The bright space supports the presentation of daylight. The staircase brings a good sense of openness and creates a comfortable and warm resting place. In terms of functionality, it aims to serve the needs of users. In the long and narrow layout, the designer plans the first-floor garage and precisely measures the staircase, so that every type of car can fit into the garage. The staircase width and height difference are also senior-friendly to meet the needs. The renovation plan meets the needs of the client's family without wasting any space.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Yu-Nan Hou
Project Brief
"Warm daylight caresses every corner of the space." Reversing the dark impression of the old house, the designer takes lighting to emphasize the space. Through the choice of materials and the design of stairs, light can extend into the interior without obstruction. Daylight from the first floor walks up the stairs, flowing freely around every corner, while daylight from the third floor falls unrestrainedly into the space. The overlap of light and shadow between the upper and lower floors raises the dimension of the design to another level. The theme of the project is light colors to amplify the brightness and echo the lighting. There is no excessive artificial lighting in the public areas, allowing the light to spread in lighter tones. Classical trims are decorated in private areas to form a romantic atmosphere. Three woven rattan balls are suspended from the ceiling at the staircase to create a heightened visual effect. The whole space continues the story of the old house with the purest new look.
Project Innovation/Need
The original house had many ergonomic problems, such as dark rooms without light, leaking water pipes, and steep stairs. The designer plans the layout by placing the activity spaces next to the windows. The first and third floors are well-lit because of the large area of lighting and the patio, while the middle part of the second floor without light is turned into a toilet and storage so that the users to spend the longest time in the areas with natural daylight. The unique feature of the space is the expression of "daylight". The transparent corrugated plate on the third floor serves as the semi-open roof to establish a good transmission medium for daylight to the interior. The daylight is positioned just between the staircases, and the open and transparent design of the second-floor staircase façade and the buffering platform is made of glass, allowing the light to extend to the first floor more effectively. To maximize lighting, the designer uses light colors to lay out the entire space to amplify the visual effect. At the same time, the TV cabinet is connected to the staircase with curved iron parts to create beautiful, curved lines, so that the light can be better expressed in the difference of height and curves.
Design Challenge
Renovating a house over 40 years old means that the client's family has a clear idea of what they want to do with their home, so the project focuses on creating a brand-new, comfortable, and family-friendly space. On this basis, there are two challenges: the lack of ventilation and lighting due to the layout, and the old plumbing and electrical problems. The designer introduces the natural element of "daylight" into the interior, a design aesthetic that the client's family had never experienced before. The familiar space gets a new look, and the designer presents a comfortable space to the clients while not wasting space.
Sustainability
The project uses materials with the Green Building Materials label. The original space had to use artificial lighting for a long time due to the lack of lighting. With the planning of the layout and materials, the whole space can be lit by natural light without turning on any lights during the daytime. The light from the third-floor staircase down to the first floor, the large light source in the first-floor garage, and the glass between the areas all help to maximize natural lighting. Furthermore, the renovated space is senior-friendly. The original staircase was tilted too far to the detriment of the elderly's knee joints. The redesigned staircase is ergonomic and has a platform in the middle of the staircase to reduce fatigue when going up and down the stairs.
Interior Design - International Residential
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.
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