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Apartment

Part 1 Project 2003
Chiew Mei Law
Curtin University Perth | Australia
This is a project which seeks for permanence in a 1960’s Modernist office building. Relocation of lift cores on two ends of existing structural shafts allows for a straightforward configuration of ‘vertical’ and ‘horizontal’ apartments, accommodating different desired lifestyles of inner city living. While the vertical apartment strives for the condensed contemporary lifestyle, the horizontal explores the unfolding experience, and at the same time allowing an opportunity for play between the inside and outside in the otherwise confined boundaries of an apartment unit. Existing columns create new reference points as walls and furniture start to define movement and articulation of spaces within the apartment. The eye follows and turns as planes float and nestle themselves alongside one another.


Set in an area of urban residential renewal, this design project seeks to make sensitive reuse of the shell of an existing inward-looking, late 1960’s government office building in order to propose a collection of vertically and horizontally ordered apartment types. The latter type which is selected by Law for design development, demonstrates how subtle design moves can deftly cloak the interior with new surfaces and materials to redefine the former office space and reorientate the spatial experience of the interior to be most suitable for apartment life. A meandering utilities and built-in furniture spine is stretched out along the length of the apartment to order connections between spaces along the apartment length as well as to provide fulcrums for spatial connections to outside.
2003
Existing Building -standing on the top of a high point at the edge of the city, the existing circa 1968, Main Roads Department building overlooks magnificent views on all four sides with an east view of the Swan River.
Revised building layout - extra vertical circulation shafts is provided in existing service shafts. Given the asymmetrical internal core of the building, possibilities lead to the apartments to be configured as vertical and horizontal spaces.
Developed Horizontal Apartment Floor plan - The openness of the apartment is maintained by some perspectival interest through use of materials and elements.
Section through living room - walls, built-in furniture and ceiling became the guiding element when moving around the apartment
Section through laundry.
Section through 2nd bedroom (A box to hide in?) and bathroom. Plywood lining that wraps around the kitchen twists and folds, followed by corrugated bathroom walls which turns its way to the ensuite in the master bedroom.
Section through master bedroom and ensuite - the bedroom is kept fairly light with staggered walls and openings above the walls, with the counterweight of the bath which looks out towards the view.
Isometric of entire apartment - an apartment balcony typically cantilevered over the edge, squeezes its way into the apartment, introducing both a buffer and interaction zone between the bedrooms and the living area.
Looking from the left - a paved garden next to the living area.
To the right – along the kitchen, past the laundry, beside the bathroom and to the bedroom.
Wardrobe to hang from.
Inside the main bedroom
”Cigarettes?” – view across living room from balcony.
View of building on the way to the city.
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