HAO Design has recently completed the Starburst House for a young couple and their small child in Beijing’s Haidian District, China. The owner is a software engineer who usually works at home. He loves a simple and brisk style. His wife is an editor of architecture books who longs to have a corner dedicated to allowing her to concentrate on her writing. They purchased this 116 square meter apartment which features slanted ceilings which required creative thinking when it came to accommodating ample space for a growing son and two adults that work from home.
HAO Design believed that construction of the ceiling, despite its difficulty, was actually its most beautiful area, and courageously proposed to preserve the ceiling. This action also served to preserve the space advantage of the ceiling height. To prevent the floor heating and ventilation systems obstructing the view of the structure, the design and engineering stages must be extremely accurate in order to prevent huge losses that may arise from the smallest discrepancy.
To expand the sense of space, the design team made use of simple and brisk white and natural wood colors to highlight the textures of the materials and the linear design of the furniture. Open up wooden-framed big windows to accompany multi-plane glass, providing ample natural sunlight and light diffusion. The open style common space and the sliding door designs of kitchen and children’s room can flexibly stretch the space, prevent oil and smoke and, when fully opened up, improve the ventilation. Achieve energy efficiency by reducing artificial lighting and air conditioning needs.
The configuration of the interior and the application of furniture is concocted according to the activity time, frequency and body status of people. The upper floor above the mezzanine is the master bedroom and the study. It is a quiet place for rest, work and reading.
The more spacious layer below is the socialization and games space with a higher frequency of activity. The line of sight is helpful for the parents to supervise their children. One corner of the living room is the children’s room/games room. Children’s attention is drawn on the triangular mountain shaped cushions and tents. The blackboard can train children’s learning and imagination.
On the principle of not overdoing the interior decoration, as soon as one is inside the home, one can feel the beauty of the high ceiling structure.
The white faux weathered stones stacked on the walls project a down-to-earth and leisurely atmosphere. To give the white space layers more variety, earth cement special coating, plastic floor tiles, grey accents such as faux stone materials and metal bricks are used, while wood textures improve a home’s comfort.
Space functionality is defined by the furniture and can change dynamically to make use of the space to the maximum extent possible. This open-ended, unfixed and flexible lifestyle not only represents the future of trend but also reflects a core value of the modern family that HAO Design has pondered — to give to every member a comfortable body feeling and encourage a free and deep sentimental exchange.