Zouii Design · CLIENT: Zouii Design
The Ori is a residential interior design for an apartment of 112.3 square meters in Taiwan. The home includes three bedrooms, a living room, a dining area and two bathrooms. Light guides the layout. A Japanese pendant lamp marks the entrance, floor-to-ceiling windows frame the Yanshuei River, and a curved ceiling directs light toward the dining area. The curved ceiling also conceals kitchen pipes while preserving room height. Walls are finished in milky white mineral paint, and serpentine patterned ceramic tiles cover the entrance floor. Two storage rooms replace fixed cabinetry.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- This project's design strategy forgoes strict stylistic constraints, instead weaving a spatial language imbued with the patina of time, inspired by the homeowner's love for European vintage furniture. By balancing the tranquility of Japanese aesthetics with Scandinavian simplicity, the space merges historical depth with contemporary sensibilities. Light plays a key role: a Japanese pendant defines the entrance, floor-to-ceiling windows frame the Yanshuei River, and a curved ceiling guides illumination toward the dining area. The layout was reimagined by swapping the TV and sofa, enhancing flexibility for future adaptations.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- The site spans 112.3 square meters, featuring three bedrooms, a living room, a dining area, and two bathrooms. To enhance flexibility, the design team reduced the study's size, allowing it to function as a guest or children's room in the future. The dining table was repositioned into the social area, making it a central hub for family activities rather than a separate space. Additionally, two independent storage rooms replaced fixed cabinetry, ensuring ample storage while preserving openness and spatial fluidity, creating a more adaptable and harmonious living environment.
- Tags
- Light Tone, Light and Shadow, Subtractive Design, Eco-friendly Building Materials, Open Plan, Reduced Design.
- Production Technology
- The project's material selection focuses on natural textures and a composed aesthetic, using low-saturation tones to highlight the depth of time. The walls feature mineral paint in a milky white hue with gray undertones, creating a refined yet warm visual experience. Serpentine-patterned ceramic tiles in the entrance mimic natural stone veining, fostering a tranquil yet intricate transition. Wood and zebra patterns introduce a striking yet balanced contrast, enhancing the space with meticulous detailing. Through these elements, the design achieves a harmonious blend of subtle texture and visual depth.
- Design Challenge
- The greatest technical challenge of this project lay in the complexity of the kitchen's piping system. Originally, multiple pipelines were dispersed across the kitchen ceiling, requiring the design team to balance the need for concealment with the preservation of a sense of height. Ultimately, by incorporating curved ceiling elements, the design successfully minimized the visual impact of the piping. The seamless circulation, combined with a comfortable ceiling height, further enhanced the spatial fluidity.
- Project Duration
- The project finished in January 2024 in Taiwan.
- Operation Flow
- Six months after completion, a follow-up visit revealed that the homeowner had already begun adjusting the furniture layout, responding to natural light, mood, and daily needs to create a more personalized living space. They praised the storage room design, noting its flexibility exceeded expectations by enhancing storage efficiency while maintaining visual simplicity. With clutter neatly organized, natural light flowed more freely, enriching the home's ambiance. This evolving interaction between space and inhabitant affirmed the design's success in fostering adaptability and harmony in daily life.
- Research
- This project's design concept emphasizes 'the narrative of light and shadow' and 'subtractive design,' achieving a balance between functionality and poetic expression. Furniture revolves around the homeowner's antique European collection, seamlessly blending with Scandinavian simplicity to evoke historical warmth and modern refinement. The dining area reinforces this philosophy, using a composed backdrop that allows furnishings to shape the living narrative. By integrating light, materials, and circulation, the design crafts a space that transcends mere form, creating a harmonious and immersive experience.
- Inspiration
- A home is more than its structure and layout; it is a dynamic space filled with personal memories and emotions. This project's design concept revolves around the interplay of light, materials, and spatial flow, shaping an environment that reflects the resident's unique character. Named 'Ori,' meaning 'light' in Hebrew, the project symbolizes the fluidity of daily life illuminated by light. Envisioned in 2022, The Ori was designed as a sanctuary where light, shadow, people, and objects engage in a continuous dialogue, fostering harmony and an ever-evolving living experience.
- Image Credits
- Uncolored Studio
Press releases are available in 1 languages.