Project Overview

M CORE Living is a furniture store specializing in statement pieces. The interior design prioritizes showcasing the products' features rather than the spatial form, hence the unconventional use of black, unlike typical furniture stores. As the time when the primary clientele stays at home is usually after dark, the black ambiance shows how the items would look in use. The designer employs eco-friendly materials to maintain users’ health. Insulating coatings and steel grate designs ensure adequate ventilation and cooling, presenting a design that harmonizes aesthetics with environmental consciousness.

Organisation

Mojo Design Studio

Team

Angie Chang

Project Brief

The living room and dining area are the core of the family dynamics, these are the spaces where families strengthen their bond and well-being. M CORE Living specializes in furniture for these spaces exclusively and focuses on unique, statement pieces that allow customers to craft a home in the style of their own. This ethos is reflected in the interior design, where displaying the products’ characteristics is the main point of the space. The design is to achieve a unique sense of relaxation while giving a wonderful feel.

M CORE Living is located near the Taiwanese equivalent of Silicon Valley, with engineers who endure a lot of stress as the core customer base. The designer creates a real-life “Dark Mode” within the space and uses plants to add a sense of nature, fostering a relaxing atmosphere for the customers. Alice in Wonderland inspired the aesthetics, with the faux stone bar counter design creating an illusion of a floating island, adding a touch of fantastical playfulness with a visual wow factor.

Project Innovation/Need

To make the items the visual focus instead of the spatial form, the designer chooses black tones contrary to the bright and light colors of typical furniture stores, creating a stage where products can express themselves. Furthermore, atmospheric lighting is used to emphasize the quality of the products, be it sophisticated, high-end, or modern, and not take away the vibe of each individual piece of furniture.

The color palette and style are chosen not only for their visual impact but also to cater to the target customers’ needs. Because of Taiwan’s geographical nature and working culture, the time when people stay at home the most is usually nighttime. The darker interior ambiance of M CORE Living allows customers to envision the furniture in daily use when they’re at home after sunset. In addition, motion-sensor lighting is installed on staircase steps to provide a welcoming feel to customers or visitors, and at the same time conserve energy by not remaining lit constantly.

Design Challenge

The building itself is made of corrugated iron, hence overheating becomes a major problem in the summer, especially in the subtropical climate of Taiwan. Additionally, due to the neighboring buildings, a limited number of windows could be installed on the walls, creating further issues with ventilation. The designer diligently utilizes a variety of methods to counter the problems and create a sustainable space for the employees and the customers.

Sustainability

Multiple design choices are made to combat the innate flaws of the building. Green building materials are employed to prevent the release of toxins due to heat, for instance, zero TVOC paint is used on the metal components.

To tackle the heat issue, the designer opted for eco-friendly Cavalin insulating paint, which allows a temperature difference of 5 degrees Celsius between indoors and outdoors, significantly reducing the need for AC.

The steel grate designs on the floors and ceilings promote airflow, and skylights are installed on the roof to combat the lack of windows, solving the ventilation issue. The achieved spatial design is both healthy and aesthetically pleasing.