Fluid House

Fluid House

A city, from a multinational corporation's perspective, is a local node to which its different components are distributed. Together with other cities where other parts are spread over, the corporation functions as a whole within the global network, thus it is inevitable for a multination business proprietor to fly between nodes to keep the company on track. The client of this project happens to be one of this sort, which brings up an issue of what a house could be like when its owner does not actually live there but just periodically visiting. The loose linkage allows the house divert from the conventional path and requires a new identity. As it only has to function occasionally, the house is more like a private deluxe hotel suite rather than a real home but is required to act like a real one when it performs. Besides the basic provision of living, it is crucial that there are certain flexible designs for diverse programs like relaxed socializing, entertainment and work.

When entering the house, one could easily perceive its fluidity at the first glance. It is continuous on the ceiling level but separated by individual partitions on the floor. The ceiling is a composite of several curved surfaces, the seams of which implicitly implying the activities underneath. Two sets of partitions with different angles delineate the living space as a polygon that explicitly points to different directions. Moreover, the partition divides the house into two parts: the public and private. The former, as mentioned above, is characterized with oblique angles and the latter is defined by orthogonal lines to distinguish the spatial qualities between them. In addition, the materials adopt a quiet atmosphere, accentuating only certain key characters. The basic tone is structured by the white ceiling and pandomo floor so that crucial elements can display its precious raw texture and color, like the oak wood table and carrara marble counter, orchestrating the flow around the space.

The living space is equipped with a home cinema and a mini bar to enhance the entertainment facilities for social activities. The required equipment includes a projector and a wine cooler that are both integrated into the space arrangement, the previous concealed within a simple white cabinet while the later hidden inside a counter table, so as to purify the visual experience and keep the space simple. To differentiate different function behavior from each other, different heights are applied to the counter table. To achieve this, objects of different materials are stacked up to form a sculpture-like furniture. In the same sense, lights and air conditioning vents are integrated into the ceiling; shoe storage and audio equipment are blended into the partition. Thus, subordinate furniture is no longer independent but merged into the space; and the space is transformed into a compound with multiple functions.

After passing an in-between turning defined by two curved partitions, one enters the private area that contains a bedroom, a bathroom and a walk-in closet. The space here still emphasizes its continuity but in an orthogonal order. The ceiling undulates up and down with the heights distributing different activities. The bathtub splits from the bathroom and is separately located in the middle, diverting the circulation around it. The walk-in closet is bordered by gray glass that allows the transparency or reflection based on the light condition. Again, the sink is separated from the bathroom, placed on a counter adjoining the wall. Similar to the previous approach, the trivial elements like the tap, the sink and the drawer are arranged to act as one piece of art by showing their geometry, texture in their composition.

The house is not huge, but satisfies the owner's essential needs, creating a flexible space for multiple activities during a relatively short stay. Leisure and work are combined with living and contained inside the house without being clearly separated. The multi-purpose utilities are allocated in a seamless, fluid environment and organized according to the owner's needs. Eventually, it is not just a hotel suite but also a real home in a traveler's mind.