Rebirth: A Retro Industrial Residence

Preserving the Past, Creating a New Living Style

The design team faced the challenge of remodeling the 25-year-old residence with modern techniques. By studying the craftsmanship of two decades ago and integrating modern methods, they were able to create a comprehensive design language that transformed the space. The result is a retro soft loft styled residence immersed in a humanistic atmosphere.

One of the standout features of this design is the decision to keep the original furnishings and repurpose them. Instead of dismantling the structure on a large scale, the cabinets were embellished and the team created furniture out of discarded hardwood. This not only achieved the goal of reusing resources but also added a more colorful tone to the retro industrial residence.

The retro-industrial style is brought to life through the use of Pandomo concrete, coarse plaster, and natural hardwood flooring. The designers took the client to a vintage timber store to find suitable lumber for building lattice in the dining room and old wooden planks for the dining table and coffee table. The result is a vintage ambiance that permeates throughout the entire house.

The open dining and kitchen area is rich in functionality, with large amounts of wooden elements and a bar counter as a focal point. The designers utilized a minimalistic design language and organic coatings to create a rugged, soft loft undertone. The marrying of subtle, restrained chromaticity, nature, and indirect lighting adds to the vintage, mottled touch of the space.

The renovation of this residence was completed in May 2018 and has since been recognized for its outstanding design. It was awarded the Bronze A' Design Award in the Interior Space, Retail, and Exhibition Design category in 2020. This award recognizes designs that exhibit strong technical and creative skills and contribute to quality of life improvements.

Rebirth is a testament to the power of design to bring about a different kind of value in the social ecosystem. By preserving the past, reusing resources, and creating a new living style, Chien-Hui Pai and Chun-Hung Yang have created a retro industrial residence that is both unique and environmentally friendly.