Located in a quiet alley in the city of Taipei, the 39 sqm Duet Apartment by NestSpace Design embraces rich and contrasting Taiwanese landscapes, from metropolitan architecture to vibrant neighbourhoods filled with traditional markets and old buildings.
Words by NestSpace Design
Photography by Hey!Cheese
NESTSPACE DESIGN
INTERPLAY OF TIME & LIGHT
Located in a quiet alley in the city of Taipei, the 39 sqm Duet Apartment by NestSpace Design embraces rich and contrasting Taiwanese landscapes, from metropolitan architecture to vibrant neighbourhoods filled with traditional markets and old buildings.
The intriguing geographical characteristic between the old and new drove us to wonder: In what novel ways can the old cultural memory continue with the evolution of urban renewal? Taking this notion as a spatial spirit, NestSpace Design started a hybrid change while retaining the traditional image by converting materials, silhouettes, and cultural background, along with forms of modern space, echoing Taiwanese society's inclusiveness. Meanwhile, avoiding excess design in this tiny apartment.
A New Interpretation of Traditional Imagery.
Traditional elements like roof tiles and earthy walls inspired the forms for this case. Those factors eventually evolved into design codes, such as straight lines, corners, and arcs.
The team began by disassembling and rearranging the space, merging it with natural and textured materials. It became a peaceful realm that opened up a dialogue between new and old.
The living room ceiling took its rhythmic shape from the tiles on the bungalow rooftop. It’s dynamic movement also implies coherent sound waves, connecting to the unique vitality of the nearby market. The ups and downs of the arcs reduce the pressure of height limitations. Converting the idea of "layer of the layer", the ceiling cleverly expands the hidden storage function.
The public space comprises diatomaceous earth paint, pottery-coloured plaster, and light oak wood to complete a calm and natural appearance. Therefore, people can feel the warmth and mindfulness of Mother Earth. The eco-friendly diatomaceous earth paint can adjust the humidity of the interior, modifying the dampness problem caused by weather and the direction of the building.
While capturing cultural imagery in the interior, we used "open-up "and "upward development" strategies for the project. The vertical development creates an assortment of views between height transitions. That introduces natural light and distinctly improves ventilation, altering the original dark and oppressive condition and turning it into a livable, bright, and airy environment.
Every detail in the Duet Apartment has nuance and meaning, with a deep hope that occupants can live at ease.
They settled on large geometric volumes with different forms to balance the light feeling of the space. These volumes break the barriers and serve as an invisible division. Public areas like the living room, kitchen, dining area, and multi-functional reading space were redefined and efficiently organised. The progressive floor plan shapes the visual depth of the field. Eyes eventually got caught by the maple tree down on the balcony. The lingering rhyme naturally spreads around.
In guiding the free circulation of light and airflow, the hollowed-out cabinets and armrests bring the fun of various perspectives. They extend infinite imaginary possibilities and act as a device to separate public and private areas. The stairs with a concave folded posture achieve aesthetics and practicality. In addition to connecting the sunlight from the bedroom on the mezzanine level and showing the rising lines' rhythm, the stairs also conceal a secret storage room below. Despite the limited space, the apartment still provides ample storage.
Every detail in the Duet Apartment has nuance and meaning, with a deep hope that occupants can live at ease.
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NestSpace Design is a Taipei-based interior studio run by a design duo Jun-Cheng Yeh and Chun-Ting Yeh. With a perspective that no standard answer exists in the design realm, the duo embraces every diversity and always try to find a sustainable solution for the environment and clients.