The Scent of Music: A Harmonious Blend of Light and Space

Chen, Wei Nan's Award-Winning Residential Apartment Design in Taiwan

The inspiration for this design came from a common challenge faced by apartments with floor-to-ceiling windows in Taiwan - the strong western sun exposure. Chen, Wei Nan, ingeniously tackled this issue by designing a wall between the living and dining areas that mimics piano keys and musical notes. This not only lends stability to the dining area but also creates a rhythmic interplay of light and shadow, giving the project its evocative name.

What sets this design apart is its unique approach to connecting the fragmented space in the duplex apartment. The designer used vertical circulation to soften the division, complemented by a tall-standing cuboid wall that penetrates both floors. This wall serves as a division between the living room and dining area, adding a sense of security during dining while also creating an intriguing interplay of light and shadow as sunlight filters through the engraved patterns.

The realization of this design was a feat of innovation and creativity. The staircase, a crucial feature in any duplex apartment, was transformed using composite materials, lending it a playful and light appearance. The classic gray-tone palette combined with low saturation colors and large white spaces creates a subtle sense of order between planes, adding to the modern aesthetic of the apartment.

Completed in 2016 in Taichung, Taiwan, this 248 m2 duplex apartment is a testament to modern, minimalist interior design. The project was a collaboration between Chen, Wei Nan and Johnson Huang, and their combined expertise is evident in every detail of the design. The apartment's unique features and innovative design solutions have not gone unnoticed in the design world.

The "Scent of Music" was awarded the Silver A' Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design Award in 2018. This prestigious award is given to designs that demonstrate outstanding expertise, creativity, and innovation. It is a recognition of the remarkable level of excellence this design has achieved, inspiring awe and admiration in all who see it.