Urban Twilight: A Unique Residential Design by Lichun Chang

Exploring the Intersection of Art, Architecture, and Lifestyle in a Taiwanese Urban Setting

The inspiration for "Urban Twilight" comes from the fast-paced, crammed lifestyle typical of Taiwanese urban areas. Amidst the high streets and local food businesses, Chang envisioned a space that would serve as a tranquil hub for the tenant, a place to entertain friends and quietly gaze out at the city through windows. The design's unique properties lie in its original slim Z shape plan, which the client wished to retain. The challenge of uneven wall surfaces was addressed by designing surfaces with metal shelves, wood, and marble cladding wardrobes to form the facade. The design also leverages natural sunlight to highlight the materials used.

One of the key features of "Urban Twilight" is the use of objects rather than walls to define spaces. This focus on detail and interface design required close collaboration with craftsmen. The design also incorporates elements of the client's personal experiences, such as snowboarding in Hokkaido and other ski resorts in Japan and New Zealand. Warm wood surfaces, natural firewood, and stone, symbolic of the client's winter holiday experiences, are translated into the interior design, creating a relaxed atmosphere.

The realization of "Urban Twilight" involved innovative techniques such as cladding thin marble slates on wardrobe door panels and challenging the use of metal for making tenon joints. The project, which started in October 2017 and finished in April 2018, also required a significant amount of research, with abstract expressionism painting serving as a key influence. The nature vein of the marble, likened to a piece of painting, was chosen to reflect the flat's situation in a busy and crammed city.

Overcoming the design challenges required a trial and error process, particularly in creating the angulated metal work to support the dining table. The result is a design that illuminates gold color in the room, creating an iconic image for the tenants. The space is characterized by design richness, with the slim Z shape plan providing a broad and generous spatial feeling. The continuity of the open space allows for natural sunlight to illuminate the room, creating a comfortable and broad ambiance.

"Urban Twilight" was awarded Silver in A' Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design Award in 2019. The award is a testament to the design's outstanding expertise and innovation, its strong technical characteristics, and splendid artistic skill. The design, with its fine touches and use of natural materials, is a testament to the power of architecture in shaping our living spaces and lifestyles.