INTRO
Lightweave Apartment transforms a humble apartment in Taichung City into an experimental dwelling. The original housing layout replicated the local distribution paradigm, fitting two bedrooms, a full bathroom, a living room, and a kitchen into just 40 sqm. The independent rooms strictly adhered to necessary functional minimums, limiting each one’s potential size. While the two bedrooms in the existing layout received natural sunlight, the living room and kitchen remained dark and enclosed.
The proposed transformation radically opposes this principle, dismantling the divisions between spaces and dissolving the limits of the uses associated with each of them. The goal is to convert a dimly lit interior living space into a more flexible and luminous habitation, better suited to contemporary living. A central core integrates all the facilities of the house, with the toilet being the only element that can be isolated. The rest of the uses and rooms merge and flow into each other, allowing for multifunctional spaces where tenants can sleep in the living room or read in the bar.
Rails included in the ceilings outline the blueprint of a totally different space. Temporary spaces closed by glass sliding doors and textile divisions allow for complementary activities or isolate those requiring a higher degree of privacy. This setup enables the creation of a study capsule, an isolated bedroom, or a hidden kitchen. The curtains that define these spaces materially reflect the activities they are intended to shelter: the bedroom is wrapped in a private box made of fluted glass, while the living room, equipped with a projector, can be enclosed by a blackout curtain made of light gray fabric.
Inspired by the interplay of light, the room captures an airy, delicate, and balanced ambiance. The rhythm of materials symbolically marks the changing uses throughout the house, from mosaic white tiles to herringbone walnut flooring, and from wood slat wall panels to fluted glass partitions, coating the horizontals and verticals. It is enhanced by the vegetation with Monstera leaves, alongside white oak trims and brushed nickel accents. The light-colored terrazzo bar counter with pink, golden, and dark gray chips, along with chrome-finished sconce, adds a sensitive touch to the scene.
