House C is located at West District in Taichung, in a 43 years old apartment. This 20 ping space is inhabited by a man, a dog, and their friends who sometimes show up. He is careful and considerate. From defects of the old apartment—oblique columns and beams, tilt floor slab, leaking windowsills, messy air conditioner outdoor unit—he gradually built order in the design, where come the plywoods layered like stair to diminish the margins, the cage for outdoor unit for future repair and shelving, the lighting design to maximize the space height by avoiding putting lights in the ceiling, and the window frames that are hidden in the thickened wall which can also be used to display objects.
He is playful like a child. From deconstructing functions, he built simple yet interesting details——so many doorknobs needed in this small space, hence on door slabs, he created holes which can be used for handling, for wardrobe ventilation, for wifi signal reception, and for an image with composition; with tiles that were left from previous construction sites, he used various sizes of square tiles, pairing with square socket panels.
He is busy yet doesn’t forget to enjoy himself sometimes——bathing with view of the city, cooking with hidden faucet in the kitchen, pulling out TV in the wardrobe to watch a movie, with the dog. “Space is full of orders yet allows casualness in life. Details are deliberate yet playful.” well describes House C, the old community it’s located in, and even the everyday life in Taiwan. Humble and content—the air conditioner outdoor unit doesn’t add another chaos to bother the city environment; the indoor functions are organized and collected in order.
