With sheds in the city and yards in the suburbs, it is ideal for many people to live.

The project is located in Nanshagou in Beijing's Xicheng District. The owner moved to a suburban residential yard many years ago. Last year, because the children had to redecorate old houses in the city, the main task was to attend school, until the weekend, and then back to the suburbs. A family accustomed to the countryside returning to nature also wants to move this “natural relaxation” into an old house in the center of the city.
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Design concept

We use a comprehensive study of materials and light to maximise the natural ambience, while analysing owners' living needs and re-scaling each space to make the most of every inch of space so that every family member can enjoy a more comfortable living. Before the renovation: The building is 72 ㎡, the apartment has a small two-room apartment of 56 ㎡, is a typical “gun” apartment type in Beijing. Both the gun and the gun tail have windows, the advantage is that natural light can run throughout the house, the disadvantage is the lack of interaction of a family in the public space, the area is seriously wasted, and the wires are also messy.

The focus of the transformation:

1. Remove all non-load-bearing walls, use cabinets as compartments for space

2. Make the kitchen semi-open and optimize the layout to the maximum, transfer some functions to the corridor, add a western kitchen counter in the corridor, expand functions and storage space

3. The partition of the toilet was pushed 71 cm to the kitchen, made a relatively independent tripartition, and a washing area was enclosed in the dry area with a cabinet. Taking into account the problem that the direction of the water supply does not move, the floor was raised and treated with a raised surface

4. Narrow the master bedroom, enlarge the common area, leave the best lighting position for multifunctional living. Combination of tatami and upper floor to meet the needs of multiple living, and separate the space with four connecting doors

5. The living room takes the form of a table+bookshelf to satisfy the homeowner's daily reading and dining

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On the choice of materials, the whole house imports marine boards, and the natural delicate wood color seems to give this home a gentle filter. After the renovation, the house does not have a living room in the traditional sense, living only with a study room and tatami. Everyone says that the best school is the family, and during the whole design process, I did not see the invisible pressure of the parents “chicken” at all, and I just felt that this bookhouse-style living room in their house, dressed all four seasons, was the best “school room”.

hallways
Entering the entrance, the former corridor was planted against the wall with a cabinet system up to 3.38 m long and 60 cm deep. The cabinet was sensibly blocked and the refrigerator moved out of the kitchen. The western kitchen function was zeroed in on the integration of functions, maximizing the utilization of the corridor.
To increase the storage space as much as possible, our proposal is to build a wall, try not to build a wall and use a cabinet as much as possible. So this mirrored cabinet is designed for loading washing machines and dryers. It also holds items such as washing liquids and softeners for empty storage. The central cabinet rests on one side of the corridor and also houses the sewer pipe of the old house, and inside it hides a water softener.

kitchens
We want to give the owner a kitchen with its own view, and the mood for cooking does not become pleasant while looking at the lush view outside the window. The original kitchen has this condition, and the small balcony facing north is incorporated into the kitchen, forming a corridor type open kitchen. A folding table has been added under the countertop, for occasional dining, when several people help in the kitchen, can also bear the pressure of operating part of the countertop, and also serves as an ironing stand for the washing area.

washrooms
The kitchen is adjacent to the bathroom and the bathroom is also a “powerful” space. Open is the washing area, and then in is the dry and comfortable washroom area. The original bathroom has a small window, a dry and wet partition in the bathroom and through a glass partition, allowing the shower and toilet to share natural light. A small window is left between the vanity mirror and the washbasin, which allows natural light to be introduced into the deeper corridor area, making the space breathable immediately. At night, when someone uses the bathroom, you can see the lights in the bathroom from here, which serves as a hidden reminder.

parlours
We cross the balcony and the living room, blur the boundaries of both, unlock a learning companion multifunctional living room, without a sofa, replaced with tatami, and sitting down is okay. The living room serves mainly as a study area, so casually remove the sofa, just a desk and an open-sided bookcase to satisfy the habit of reading together as a family. The marine panels of the whole house have been sampled many times to give off the retro texture and have been painted extra at the time of laying. To the left of the area adjacent to the balcony is the upper and lower house, where the child's rest area is reserved for him to study separately. The whole floor is a function of tatami, which makes it easier for older people such as relatives and grandparents to stay, but the color of the material is similar to that of the tiles, which makes it look more like a ground whole, extending the feeling of space. With the location, it also brings the affection of the whole family together. Pull up the connecting door to isolate a quiet sleeping space. The north balcony serves as a daily leisure area, with several cushions for sitting and lying down, and a basket to store books and other items. Spend your time here reading books, looking out the view from the window, and feeling the seasonal beauty of the full screen.

Master bedroom
Next to the desk in the living room, also with a set of double cabinets, serves as a partition for the master bedroom. One side as a large wardrobe+home cabinet. A row of air vents is left at the top of the cabinet for ventilation, and on the other hand to allow the cold air of the living room air to pass through, because the owner does not need direct blowing cold air and does not need to install an air conditioner separately so that the air can circulate well. Like the beginnings of this home, reading and learning can measure the freedom of life. We meticulously calculated the size, neatly planned layout, “squeezed out” every inch of the functional area while also filling the home with warmth and warmth.

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Project Information
Project Name: Chalet
Designer: White space design
Project Design & Completion Year: 2023
Founder and design team: Zhao Bin, Li Xin
Project Address: Beijing Xicheng District
Building Size: 72 ㎡
Photo copyright: Joe Rui
BRAND: OCEAN BOARD/SHIKI
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