House Tsai
If physical spaces reflect the appearance of our mental spaces, then the expanding desires within the city are manifested in the various extensions that brazenly sprawl and branch out beyond the original architecture. Desires spread and proliferated from the cramped living spaces of the city to the extent that even a standalone five-story old house bought halfway up a hill, originally seventy pings in size, has nearly doubled over the years. However, this large and compartmentalized independent residence, instead of offering spaciousness, felt closed off and detached for the family of five. Therefore, the primary task of the designer was to return it to its original state.
The designer not only removed the extended balconies and terraces on the second and third floors to bring the space back to its original size but also demolished the partitions in the public areas to open the view. Such restoration was not only for the space itself but also allowed light and air to flow freely again throughout the house, uninterrupted. By shedding the added encumbrances and returning to the original advantages, the wind and light could move freely, and the colors and sounds of life could circulate within. From this, the designer's spatial script begins its first act—on an ordinary day, a child in the upstairs reading and playroom catches the scent of food wafting from the kitchen to the atrium below, trying to guess which dish has just been put on the stove, wondering whether to sneak downstairs for a taste before being called for dinner. The people in the house, thus, live with their senses keenly attuned, always aware of their loved ones' whereabouts, not separated by the physical spaciousness that could otherwise isolate their emotional and physical connection.Natural interactions ferment in unobstructed spaces, blossoming within the margins left blank.
The designer not only removed the extended balconies and terraces on the second and third floors to bring the space back to its original size but also demolished the partitions in the public areas to open the view. Such restoration was not only for the space itself but also allowed light and air to flow freely again throughout the house, uninterrupted. By shedding the added encumbrances and returning to the original advantages, the wind and light could move freely, and the colors and sounds of life could circulate within. From this, the designer's spatial script begins its first act—on an ordinary day, a child in the upstairs reading and playroom catches the scent of food wafting from the kitchen to the atrium below, trying to guess which dish has just been put on the stove, wondering whether to sneak downstairs for a taste before being called for dinner. The people in the house, thus, live with their senses keenly attuned, always aware of their loved ones' whereabouts, not separated by the physical spaciousness that could otherwise isolate their emotional and physical connection.Natural interactions ferment in unobstructed spaces, blossoming within the margins left blank.
Every detail carries the thoughtful delicacy aimed at creating a tranquil and stable sanctuary teeming with life. Thus, in this old house perched on the hillside, amidst its plain silence, there's a vibrant vitality. Perhaps, by listening closely at night, one might discover the sound of a frog leaping into the water from afar, making a "plunk" sound.
