00:05the design concept of this apartment is about stacking and overlapping
00:10we wanted to challenge the traditional understanding of space and functionality
00:22the Ryokan is situated right in front of many beach
00:27it is well known for its ferries surfing and beach volleyball tournaments
00:35there are many nice parks unique restaurants cafes and boutique stores
00:44the building was initially built as a two-story victorian
00:47tavern in the late 18th century and a century later two more stories were added on top
00:54with the ground floors as shops and upper levels are apartments
01:00the apartment has been used for rental property for the past 20 years without much maintenance
01:07the previous floor plan was not well thought out
01:11there was not much natural light into the building and the plumbing was a mess
01:16we relocated the bathroom doorway away from the entrance
01:21we combined the kitchen with the living and dining area
01:25lastly we demolished the bedroom wall to bring light and air into the darkest room of the house
01:33the main brief from the client was to create a unique
01:36manly experience when they come home they still want to feel like they are still in the natural space
01:43they can detach from work and just relax
01:49the moment you walk in the door a symbolic house geometry defines the foyer space
01:55the foyer is a hybrid of mud room and a genkan which is the japanese name of the entrance
02:03there is a niche to hang jackets and place your keys
02:07below the niche is a pocket for shoe storage
02:11we inserted a floating platform for sitting which extends all the way into the living space
02:18as a tatami style sitting area as you progress into the space you are first embraced by the dark walls
02:26and ceiling which sets the tone of serenity the differentiation between the living space and the
02:34dining space is defined by the height of the platform so when you step down from the platform
02:40you step into the zone of the dining space we design and build the tv recess into the wall we
02:50purposely
02:51lower the tv so it's in line with the eye level when you sit on the tatami style flooring
02:59for the kitchen we decided to use matte black elements to continue the transition from the dark zone
03:06we choose bronze mirror for the kitchen splash back we believe a bronze mirror in this wooden context
03:13can create a softer ambient reflection to the surrounding underneath the timber frame is the white
03:21kitchen we chose white microwave oven so it blends in with the matte white color of the cabinet doors
03:29and the fridge is hidden behind a hinged door
03:34you access the japanese bedroom via three steps kitchen bench is extended into the bedroom
03:43before the bedroom there is a zen garden with a bonsai tree coming out of the wall
03:49the garden sits behind the glass wall that connects with the kitchen
03:54we created this zero maintenance bonsai tree from lifelike materials
04:00so the client doesn't need to maintain it we strategically place the bonsai tree underneath the skylight
04:08so around 12 to one o'clock every day there is natural sunlight coming into the space shining onto
04:15the bonsai tree making it more lifelike on the other side of the garden is a sheer curtain which allows
04:23some light to pass through to the bedroom but also provides privacy
04:30the bedhead is also made out of the same bronze mirror as the splash back in the kitchen
04:36besides the mattress we customize two small niches for the client to place their phones or their reading
04:45glasses above the niche are the small wall lights that they can use for reading and also for a bit
04:52of
04:53nightlight function next to the bedroom is a meditation space the entry to the meditation space is
05:02through a small window opening inspired by traditional japanese tea house we intentionally lower the ceiling
05:11and raise the platform to compress the vertical space which directs you to sit on the platform once
05:18you pass through the opening in this meditation space we added another zero maintenance vertical garden
05:27in this room you can detach from work and stress you can look through the window and reconnect with nature
05:37there is roughly 15 cubic meters of storage space underneath the japanese bedroom
05:43and the meditation room which can be used for storing bulky and seasonal items and access via the kitchen
05:53the second bedroom is on the other side of the apartment when the door of the bedroom opens the
05:59timber cladded wall and the game kind timber creates a conversation which creates the illusion of a bigger space
06:10there is a double bed and storage for the cloth we also place a small but practical study hidden behind
06:19the
06:19foyer extension
06:25the bathroom is cluttered with ceramic timber tiles the choice of timber tiles is to mimic the wooden bath
06:32house atmosphere without the maintenance concern of real timber
06:39we've chosen a wall-hand basin to float above the floor and all the plumbing fittings to be matte black
06:47so it blends in with rest of the fittings there is a floor-to-ceiling storage unit on the left
06:54-hand side of
06:54the bathroom the bottom of the cabinet houses the washing machine and the top is general storage with
07:01adjustable shelves we use the latest hybrid flooring system throughout the entire apartment being right
07:10next to the beach the flooring will need to be scratch resistant to sand and 100 resistant to water
07:18our design approach to a small space design is to look at a small like a opportunity than a limitation
07:26perhaps the future of small space design can be one of the most sustainable approaches using a smaller footprint
07:33to satisfy the practicality of living
07:37it can also be a medium to explore different profiles of spatial combination which can be applied
07:44back to designing larger spaces to make it more creative and efficient
07:57so
08:01you
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