Room 1101
When light is not merely a source of brightness within a room, but defines the atmosphere; when it does not simply drift through the air, but can be harnessed to shape tangible texture, then "light" becomes more than an external condition—it becomes a material with expressive power. In this top-floor apartment on the 11th level, there are no finely painted walls, no partitions to divide the space—only an open-plan layout with a 5-meter-high atrium and large windows of varying shapes arranged seemingly at random. Through the designer’s skillful interventions, using frosted glass screens and mirrored surfaces, light emerges as the protagonist, reshaping the spatial relationships within the apartment.
The purpose of the renovation is to revive an urban apartment as a second home. Responding to the client’s request of living an extraordinary life in a versatile space, the designer focused from the outset on the treatment of the windows and the way they admit light. To control the diffused natural light after it passes through the windows, walls and frosted-glass screens were installed within the interior, guiding the direction of light and ordering its layers, bringing a new visual experience of light and shadow to the room. The screens, positioned 40 cm from the wall, make the presence of the windows vague, receiving the light and transforming into another “wall of light”. At night, the gentle diffused light from the indirect lighting adds a wealth of colour to the space. In addition, the mirrors applied to the suspended walls that divide the screens reflect a sequence of frames, creating visual expansion and depth in the space.
The plan of the studio apartment includes the secondary circulation which provides access from the entrance to the wet area. It divides the room by floor level difference and material transition. At the entrance hall, a wall with depth is designed in front of the glass block. The frosted glass which is embedded in the wall diffuses the light more softly. The grid of the glass block that emerges through the frosted glass gives rich nuance to the space. In front of the frosted glass, a garment from the client’s fashion brand collection is displayed as an artwork. The light accentuates the silhouette of the artwork.
The exposed concrete finish in some part of ceiling secures the ceiling height and adds character to the space. Sofa benches are provided for many guests to relax along the wall, creating sense of openness. The subdued color pallet, high-quality materials, and rough concrete finish create a modern yet luxurious atmosphere. For the client who leads a busy life, the room where one quietly faces oneself in shifting light, is “an alternative dwelling” that offers a reset from daily life.
Principal Designers | Kouichi Kimura
Character of Space | Residence
Gross Floor Area | 77.73 ㎡
Materials | Frosted glass / Mirror
Location | Osaka, Japan
