Mutualism: A Calm and Generous Residential Apartment

Creating a Simple and Individual Spatial Style

This residential apartment, designed by Cheng Hsuan Huang, stands out with its unique features and strengths. One of its standout qualities is the abundance of natural light. To fully utilize this advantage, the designer removed the wall between the kitchen and study room, allowing light to penetrate into every corner of the space. The distribution of lamplight throughout the apartment strikes a perfect balance between the beauty of natural and artificial lighting.

The color scheme of the apartment is characterized by achromatic tones, complemented by light wood veneers. The large white areas of the walls are paired with warm wood textures in the cabinets, creating a simple and neat visual aesthetic. The use of Lotos, a material made from reusing sludge from Taiwan, for the TV wall and the gray Italian tiles in the public areas not only highlight these spaces but also maintain a harmonious color balance throughout the apartment. The designer also outlines the contours of all objects in the space using deep darkness iron, adding a touch of depth and definition.

With a size of 100 m2, this residential apartment features a foyer, living room, reading room, master bedroom, guest bedroom, locker room, three bathrooms, dining room, and kitchen. The division of the ground materials effectively separates the different spatial functions in the public zone. Light-colored tiles are used for the entrance, extending into the private zone, while dark-colored solid wood flooring extends from the living room to the study. A glass partition is used to create an undisturbed study room.

The Mutualism residential apartment project was carried out in Taichung City, Taiwan, starting in January 2018 and completed in July 2018. The design incorporates recycled eco-friendly materials and adheres to national standards for healthy green building materials. The choice of low-toxicity wood veneer paint ensures a safe and healthy living environment for the residents. Additionally, the use of Lotos plaster, made from reservoir sludge, addresses the issue of silting in water reservoirs and provides greater air permeability and waterproofing, preventing efflorescence and wall mold.

This design presented several challenges, including optimizing the natural light conditions of the building. By removing the wall between the kitchen and study room, the designer successfully allowed light to penetrate into every corner of the space. The strategic distribution of lamplight further enhances the balance between natural and artificial lighting. The overall color scheme of black, gray, and white creates a simple and generous interior ambiance.

The Mutualism residential apartment, designed by Cheng Hsuan Huang, is a testament to the harmonious relationship between space and light. With its calm and generous atmosphere, it provides the perfect living space for its occupants.

Image Credits: Moooten Studio

Awards and Accolades: This design was awarded Bronze in the A' Interior Space, Retail, and Exhibition Design Award in 2019. The Bronze A' Design Award recognizes outstanding and creatively ingenious designs that incorporate best practices in art, science, design, and technology. These designs exhibit strong technical and creative skills and contribute to quality of life improvements, making the world a better place.