ShelterCave

From building a family to entering retirement, the homeowner’s family of four has resided for many years in a 260-square-meter duplex house. As the homeowners are devout Buddhists who prefer humble austerity, this project utilizes simple colors and materials to create a serene and dignified atmosphere.



Taking inspiration from mountains, this design transforms the same mineral paint into both smooth and rugged textures, creating an interplay of light and shadow that permeates irregular openings and cabinet crevices. The concepts of “nature” and “tranquility" are the main atmospheres that designers like to create. By using minimal visual disruptions to allow sightlines, flow, light, and air to circulate and move freely, the space exhibits different expressions, and the homeowners can experience the changing environment throughout different times of the day. Meanwhile, the varied levels of the duplex space are transformed to resemble rock caves, with old materials and Buddhist scripture calligraphies infused throughout the space. This creates an ambiance that not only embraces a sense of lonely tranquility but also fosters a comfortable living environment.



Futhermore, to accommodate the homeowners’ religious beliefs and needs for artistic displays, the art gallery and Buddhist shrine serve as transitions before entering the private areas. The curved enveloping design evokes a relaxing atmosphere perfect for meditations, while also cleverly eliminating the scattered beams and pillar structures in different locations from view.



The entire space utilizes eco-friendly mineral paint as the primary material to reduce the toxicity and air pollution commonly generated by conventional chemical paints. Existing materials and furniture pieces are also extensively incorporated into the design through deconstruction and rearrangement, which imbues the project with new aesthetic life and artistic value while minimizing the waste of resources. In terms of lighting, natural light is designed to be the predominant indoor light source, with indirect and display lighting serving as auxiliary supplements that enhance the beauty of light and shadow inside the space as their interplay changes throughout times of the day.