Chun-Chiao Wu · CLIENT: CHIUN JU interior design
Breath of Renewal is a residential interior design for a thirty year old house of 281 square meters across four levels. The layout was opened to improve daylight and cross ventilation, and clear circulation links living, dining, and private rooms. A basement gym of 76 square meters includes mirrors, hidden cabinets, and foldaway hooks. Custom bent steel luminaires with linear LED profiles form continuous light lines. Rebuilt bathrooms use full waterproofing and slip resistant tiles. Low emission finishes and certified plywood support a low carbon retrofit.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- This project renews a thirty year old residence of eighty five ping into a home that supports wellness and daily living. The design opens the layout to bring in natural light and improve airflow while smooth circulation connects living, dining, and fitness areas. Custom lighting and updated bathrooms enhance comfort and efficiency. Materials are selected for durability and low emissions. The result is a calm interior with a clear spatial rhythm that blends health, sustainability, and emotional resonance.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- The residence has a total area of 281 square meters across four levels, including a basement gym of 76 square meters. Typical floor height is 3200 millimeters, with corridors at 1100 millimeters and doors at 900 millimeters. Lighting uses recessed linear fixtures at 24 volts and 12 watts per meter with a warm tone and high color rendering. Ventilation uses a heat recovery unit providing 360 cubic meters per hour. Finishes include low emission paint, eco panels, slip resistant tiles, glass mirrors, and rounded stone edges.
- Tags
- interior regeneration, low carbon retrofit, residential wellness gym, cross ventilation, open plan, sustainable materials, daylight design, human centered living, adaptive reuse, healthy lifestyle
- Production Technology
- The interior renewal used demountable steel framing and modular gypsum partitions to reorganize spatial flow. Ventilation was enhanced with an energy recovery ventilator supporting cross ventilation, and daylighting was verified through basic simulation. Custom bent steel luminaires with integrated LED linear profiles were recessed to form continuous light lines. Bathrooms were rebuilt with full waterproofing, linear drains, and slip resistant tiles. Built in elements used plywood from certified sources, low emission finishes, and screw fix details to allow future disassembly and reuse.
- Design Challenge
- The main challenge was to transform a dim and poorly ventilated house into a home that combines healthy living with exercise. Limited openings restricted airflow and daylight, while the brief required comfort and safety. Airflow and daylight simulations were used to reshape the plan, align cross ventilation, and install concealed glare free lighting with a high color rendering index. Reused and recyclable materials together with low emission finishes and modular details established a repeatable low carbon design approach.
- Project Duration
- The project commenced in July 2024 and was completed in June 2025, with the final handover taking place on July 15 2025. The site is located in Linkou District, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
- Operation Flow
- Residents move through an open plan that connects living, dining, and private rooms in a continuous loop. A gentle ceiling line guides orientation and defines zones. In the gym, mirrors widen sight lines and hidden cabinets keep floors clear. Panels open for equipment access and close flush. Foldaway hooks support yoga and stretching. Fresh air runs continuously while soft colors and rounded edges promote calm, safety, and unhurried routines.
- Research
- This human centered interior regeneration project transformed a dark and poorly ventilated house into a healthy home with integrated gym functions. Airflow and daylight simulations were used together with monitoring of carbon dioxide concentration, fine particle levels, and light intensity. The design improved cross ventilation, indoor air quality, and natural daylight distribution. Lighting with a high color rendering index combined with recycled and low emission materials enhanced comfort and safety. The outcome demonstrates a replicable model for sustainable low carbon residential retrofit.
- Inspiration
- Inspired by the idea of breath, the design follows how light and air move through daily life. Openings are aligned for cross ventilation, and circulation is kept clear and quiet. Curved ceilings and gentle linear lighting evoke the rhythm of inhale and exhale. A calm palette and sustainable materials create a serene interior that supports wellness, focus, and unhurried living.
- Image Credits
- Image #1: Photographer Lin Fu-Ming (Professional Architectural Photographer), Designer Chun-Ju Wu (Interior Designer), Assistant Dun-Kai Cheng (Design Assistant), "Healthy Living Renovation and Gym Integration", 2025.
Image #2: Same as Image #1
Image #3: Same as Image #1
Image #4: Same as Image #1
Image #5: Same as Image #1 - Patents
- Copyrights belong to Chun-Ju Wu (Chiun Ju Interior Design Co., Ltd.), 2025.
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