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    JEB acoustic partitions and furniture create modern campus for UOW College Hong Kong

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    Promotion: acoustic partitions and furniture brand JEB have provided interior solutions for the University of Wollongong’s new Tai Wai campus in Hong Kong, which aims to create an adaptable learning environment.

    The University of Wollongong (UOW) College Hong Kong campus in Tai Wai covers 15,000 square metres and supports 3,300 students with modern facilities including an auditorium, library and maritime laboratory.
    Hong Kong-based brand JEB was engaged to provide acoustic partitions and furniture solutions that could be adapted to support different styles of learning and encourage student interaction.
    The UOW College Hong Kong campus in Tai Wai is designed to be flexible and adaptableAt the same time, the team had to meet a design brief that sought to bring a taste of Australia to Hong Kong, with each floor of the building bringing to life a different element of the Wollongong landscape: the Pacific Ocean on the first floor, the urban environment on the second, and the mountains on the third.
    JEB’s Integra Operable Wall system is critical to the functional aspect of the design says the company, as it empowers educators to swiftly alter room sizes and layouts by unlocking the wall panels and moving them.

    The system operates on a door track and roller that allow panels to be turned around corners and stored out of sight, keeping the environment clutter-free and maximising available space.
    The space supports different styles of teaching and learningThe product “is a testament to JEB’s commitment to revolutionising the educational landscape and providing cutting-edge solutions that meet the evolving needs of modern learning environments,” said the brand.
    JEB made ample use of glass in its choice of partitions, to avoid closing off areas when there is limited natural light and to create an open-feeling atmosphere.
    For furnishings, JEB mixed custom solutions with a range of office products from leading local and international brands such as Vitra, Humanscale and Andreu World.
    JEB provided acoustic and furniture solutions for the University of Wollongong’s new Tai Wai campus in Hong KongWorkstations, cabinets and lecture tables were custom-made for the UOW College Hong Kong campus in Tai Wai. Movable desks were placed in tutorial rooms so that they could be easily reconfigured for group or individual work.
    In lounge areas, JEB sourced chairs suited to relaxation, while areas of open staircase seating were created to encourage casual interaction between students.
    “The deliberate use of partitions and furniture in the UOW College campus project in Tai Wai not only addressed the practical aspects of spatial flexibility and lighting challenges but also contributed to the creation of a modern, adaptable and student-centred learning environment,” said JEB.
    “The thoughtful integration of these elements has positively impacted the educational experience and reflects the commitment to innovative pedagogical approaches in higher education.”
    Partitions and furniture are key to the interior designJEB aims to deliver one-stop solutions to interior design, offering acoustic partitions, office furniture, bespoke facades and circular hygiene products.
    It also endeavours to act sustainably, operating a takeback programme that finds new homes for unwanted furniture.
    To find out more about JEB, visit the company’s website.
    Photography courtesy of JEB Group.
    Partnership content
    This article was written by Dezeen for JEB as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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      Linehouse adds tactile textures and warm tones to coastal home in Hong Kong

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      Chinese studio Linehouse has designed the interiors of Cape Drive Residence in Hong Kong to respond to the surrounding coastal views.

      Located on the south side of Hong Kong Island, the three-floor home is a short walk from the beaches of Stanley and Chung Hom Kok and has panoramic ocean views to the east and west from its elevated position.
      “The design harnesses a costal essence through materiality, light and an easy flow, seamlessly connecting the interior and exterior spaces,” Linehouse explained.
      The home is located on the south side of Hong Kong Island with expansive ocean viewsAn open living area on the ground floor connects to the kitchen and dining space while an internal courtyard was inserted between theses areas and includes a centralised tree and surrounding seating.
      The living area extends to the main terrace with full-height windows that frame the expansive ocean views.

      Clad in stone, the terrace forms a sunken seating area with pockets of greenery surrounding it, which shelters the sea wind.
      A timber staircase framed by a shuttered screen connects all three floorsWhite timber louvers were used as a continuous ceiling plane in the living area which also extends to the terrace as a canopy.
      “The design of the home reflects the relaxed and laidback lifestyle of a beach setting,” said the studio. “Warm tones, tactile surfaces and textures, a clean and simple material palette, and a seamless flow between inside and out.”
      An outdoor terrace was clad in stone with a sunken seating area”Cape Drive Residence offers the fitting backdrop for coastal living,” it continued.
      A warm oak timber staircase was punctuated by a shuttered screen that runs vertically through all levels of the home while arranging more private areas such as bathing and dressing.

      Linehouse designs Hong Kong guesthouse to evoke the comfort of home

      The whitewashed timber material of the screen echoes the coastal location and reflects light through the spaces.
      A white metal rod screen can be slide open at each level, offering transparency and light through different spaces.
      An internal courtyard was inserted between the dining and kitchen areaBedrooms, a second living area and a study were placed on the upper two levels, all with coastal views.
      The same whitewashed timber material used on the shuttered screen was adopted to form storage, seating and shelving in these private spaces, providing a textural contrast to the hand-raked plaster walls.
      The bathrooms add a fresh moment of colour into the space, using patterned tiles handmade in Portugal by Elisa Passino.
      Shelving and storage spaces were created from whitewashed timber materialLinehouse was founded by Alex Mok and Briar Hickling in 2013 and the duo went on to win emerging interior designer of the year at the 2019 Dezeen Awards.
      The studio has recently completed a guesthouse in Hong Kong that evokes the comfort of home and a Mediterranean restaurant in Shanghai with natural, tactile materials.
      The photography is by Jonathan Leijonhufvud.
      Project credits:
      Design: LinehouseDesign principal: Briar HicklingDesign team: Ricki-Lee Van Het Wout, Cindy Pooh

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      Gym Town in Hong Kong was “inspired by Elon Musk’s vision of colonising Mars”

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      In Hong Kong’s fast-paced Central District, local practice MR Studio has modelled this fitness studio on a futuristic Martian dwelling to offer members an escape from their busy lives.

      Gym Town’s entryway and reception are finished entirely in an an earthy shade of orange, chosen to reflect the colours of Mars, while moody black workout areas were designed to allow visitors to focus on their individual health goals.
      Gym Town is entered via a dramatic escalator”We wanted to create a unique and immersive experience for gym-goers,” MR Studio founder Myron Kwan told Dezeen. “The concept of Mars was chosen to represent escapism and a sense of adventure.”
      “Inspired by Elon Musk’s vision of colonising Mars, we wanted to create a space that felt futuristic and cutting-edge.”
      The gym’s reception doubles as a loungeThe studio created a bespoke sculptural lighting piece that can be seen from the street to create a sense of intrigue about the gym.

      From the entrance, members are taken up to the lobby by an escalator. In a bid to make this ascent feel like an event, MR Studio turned the space into a tunnel-like “portal” that provides a sense of voyage.
      Bespoke lights were modelled on satellite dishesAround the escalator, the walls undulate to create a series of vertical ridges, designed to add depth and visual interest while suggesting walls that have buckled under the heat of the red planet.
      “By using the tunnel-like form, we wanted to create a visually striking feature that would set the tone for the entire space,” Kwan said.
      “The tunnel creates a sense of anticipation and excitement as guests enter,” he added. “The design itself aims to transport visitors to another world.
      Decorative rocks are fixed to the ceilingThe escalator delivers members into a large reception area, arranged as a lounge with various seating areas.
      One of the challenges of the project was the absence of natural light, which MR Studio addressed with a feature ceiling light.
      Composed of concentric circles with an illuminated core, it suggests both a natural skylight and the crater-studded terrain of Mars.

      Snøhetta unveils “green lung” urban farm in Hong Kong

      Curves and circles feature heavily throughout Gym Town, from wavy walls and rounded furniture to lights inspired by the form of a satellite dish.
      “Custom-made table lamps adorned with sleek metal finishes and cracked glass details capture the silhouette of high-gain antennas used in space exploration,” the studio explained.
      The room is centred on a semi-circular brass-wrapped reception desk, which doubles as a bar during events or after-hours gatherings.
      Rooms get progressively darkerThe walls here feature the same dusty red-orange finish as the entrance tunnel, while decorative rocks are fixed to the ceiling.
      “Envisioned as a modern Martian house, the space is painted in a textured monochromatic palette of tangerine, referencing the iconic red planet’s signature colour and rough terrain,” said Kwan.
      “It adds vibrancy and warmth to the space, creating a visually intriguing element that complements the overall design theme.”
      The workout areas are finished in muted black and grey tonesProgressing into the changing rooms, workout areas and studios, the colour palette shiftsto more sober greys and blacks.
      “To encourage members to fully devote to their fitness routines, the workout area is grounded in an organic and unpretentious style,” the studio said.
      Orange accents delineate different areasGym Town has been shortlisted in the health and wellbeing interior category at this year’s Dezeen Awards.
      Also in the running is the dusty-pink welfare centre of a boys’ school in Melbourne and a pediatric clinic in Seattle with “no blank walls”.
      The photography is by Steven Ko.

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      Linehouse designs Hong Kong hotel to evoke the comfort of home

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      Shanghai-based interior studio Linehouse used natural materials and a muted colour palette to give the Ying’nFlo hotel in Wan Chai, Hong Kong, the feel of an inviting home.

      The hotel occupies the podium of a 24-story tower on a hilly street in Hong Kong. Its ground floor holds a series of communal spaces that Linehouse designed to provide “home comfort” for guests.
      The ground floor comprises a series of rooms referencing living roomsThe Collectors Room, which greets guests at the entrance of the hotel, has a neutral palette of hand-rendered walls, timber paneling, and linen cabinetry that display curated objects and artworks. A communal oak table serves as a counter where guests can interact.
      This room also connects to an outdoor terrace through sliding glazed doors. Built-in bench seating and an olive tree sit at the centre of the terrace and invite guests to relax and socialise.
      A communal table and outdoor bench invite guests to socialiseA gridded timber screen leads further into the space through to the lift lobby and the Arcade room, where guests can gather to relax and play.

      Soft-rendered walls, timber shutters and an eclectic mix of furniture create a sense of intimacy, while floor tiles in various geometrical motifs add a sense of playfulness.
      The Music Room features ceramic tilesAdjacent to the Arcade is the Music Room, the social hub of the hotel. Here, ceramic tiles, a bespoke oak shelving system, a custom sofa and curated art and lifestyle objects were added to evoke a sense of a residential living room.
      The Music Room opens up to the Garden Terrace, where undulating greenery sits behind circular seating in yellow-striped fabric, a colourful contrast to the overall neutral colour palette of the Ying’nFlo hotel.
      Yellow-striped fabric seating on the terrace adds playfulness”The spaces are designed to have a warm, welcoming and familiar feel,” Linehouse said.
      “Against this backdrop of curated simplicity is an edge of youthful attitude and local context, with vibrant elements giving the hotel its own unique flavour.”

      Linehouse creates tactile restaurant with “Mediterranean soul” in Shanghai

      The guest rooms of the Ying’nFlo hotel are located on the upper floor and feature ceilings painted in a muted green hue, which the same green tone used to frame window seating nooks and for the hand-glazed tiles in the bathroom and kitchen.
      A clean palette of plaster, wood, white-washed oak and canvas add texture to the rooms. Seating nooks and lounge furniture serve multiple functions as spaces where guests can work, relax or dine.
      Muted green and selection of wood furniture create a warm feeling for the guest roomsLinehouse was founded by Alex Mok and Briar Hickling in 2013 and the duo went on to win emerging interior designer of the year at the 2019 Dezeen Awards.
      The studio has recently completed a Mediterranean restaurant with natural, tactile materials, as well as a space-themed cafe decorated with real meteorites, both in Shanghai.
      The photography is by Jonathan Leijonhufvud.
      Project credits:
      Design principle: Briar HicklingDesign team: Ricki-Lee Van Het Wout, Lara Daoud, Justin Cheung
      Dezeen is on WeChat!
      Click here to read the Chinese version of this article on Dezeen’s official WeChat account, where we publish daily architecture and design news and projects in Simplified Chinese.

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      KPF designs Blue Pool Road semi-detached residence on Hong Kong Island

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      Dezeen Promotion: developer Hang Lung Properties has unveiled the 23–39 Blue Pool Road development designed by architecture studio, Kohn Pedersen Fox, to “offer a unique lifestyle that combines urban buzz with residential comfort”.

      The site includes 18 semi-detached three-storey residences that are each equipped with a private rooftop, courtyard, five en-suite bedrooms, balconies and a garage.
      According to Hang Lung Properties, “The crown jewel of the development is undoubtedly House 31”.
      House 31 totals 850 square metres and is made up of two adjacent semi-detached houses with interiors designed by international studio Hirsch Bedner and Associates (HBA).
      A custom hand-blown glass chandelier emphasises “the verticality of the double-height living and dining area, which enjoys ample natural light”
      “From the very early stages of the design, we agreed that this was a great opportunity to create a timeless, modern yet opulent and comfortable interior,” said HBA Hong Kong associate director Paulo Dias.
      “And who were the clients they imagined this one-of-a-kind home for? A well-travelled, cosmopolitan couple, avid art collectors and patrons.”
      The artwork in House 31 is sourced from private collectors and galleriesThe house’s ground floor includes an Italian Boffi kitchen, courtyard and island bar for entertaining, while its landscaped rooftop garden features a barbecue and bar.
      House 31’s master-chamber floor is designed for privacy and includes a master suite and second suite, both equipped with walk-in wardrobes. The residence also has a wellness and spa quarter, study, games room and theatre. The interiors of the home incorporate Italian and local Hong Kong-made fabrics.
      Dias and his team chose furnishings to create “different layers that add interest and enhance the overall level of luxury,” according to the brand.
      Wooden and green coloured designs feature on the rooftop of 23-39 Blue Pool Road”HBA is known for developing bespoke finishes that make each project one of a kind,” said the developer.
      “Unique touches include custom-dyed wood veneers, unique glass and lacquer finishes and custom-designed carpeting,” it continued.
      “Other exclusive materials include exotic marbles, like South African gemstone tiger’s eye for the bar and cow horn in one of the millwork units.”
      The home is designed by Hirsch Bedner and Associates (HBA)The artwork across the home was curated by the in-house HBA team, sourced from private collectors and galleries worldwide. The living room includes works by Andy Warhol, Kazuo Shiraga and DanHôo in a “bold salon-style display”.
      “Elsewhere in the home are works by the likes of Damien Hirst, Lai Chi Man and Elsa Jean de Dieu,” said the developer.
      The home’s interiors are made up of Italian and locally sourced materials”The result is a living experience that is about “simplicity, elegant detailing and beautiful bespoke finishes, accentuated by unique art,” Dias said.
      “The overall impression is one of drama and luxury, but that is still welcoming.”
      For more information about 23-39 Blue Pool Road and House 31, visit the development’s website.
      Partnership content
      This article was written by Dezeen for Hang Lung Properties as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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      Lim + Lu brings the outdoors into this family apartment in Hong Kong

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      Multidisciplinary design practice Lim + Lu has refurbished the interior of this 167-square-metre apartment in metropolitan Hong Kong to make it feel like an “elegant yet quaint summer home”.Designed for a nature-loving Japanese and British couple with two children, the interior has subtle, neutral colours and finishes that are intended to place focus on the greenery that fills the space.

      Top image: the apartment was outfitted with a home office. Above: Calacatta marble features on the kitchen island and work surfaces
      Located on the first floor of a 1950s building, the apartment’s windows are perfectly in line with the palm trees that surround it. To enhance this connection to the outdoors, Lim + Lu replaced all of the existing, small windows with larger aged-steel windows that bring in more natural light and make the space feel larger.

      Lim + Lu uses brightly coloured walls and furnishings for fashion designer’s Hong Kong home

      “The black wooden blinds and delicate brass details accentuate the feeling of an elegant yet quaint summer home,” said the Hong Kong-based studio, which is headed by Vincent Lim and Elaine Lu.
      “Altogether, these elements work in tandem, ensuring the family residing within can live not only in understated luxury but at one with nature as well.”

      The living room opens up onto the balcony via an aged-steel doorway

      The designers wanted to create an open-plan layout in the apartment’s social areas, so that movement between the kitchen, dining, living room, study and balcony flowed easily.
      In order to do this, the original enclosed kitchen was opened up and combined with the living room, creating a large open area for family gatherings. A large balcony doorway frames the view across the surrounding greenery.

      Shelving is built into the oak wall panelling in the home office
      Oak slats are used to line walls and rattan screens feature on built-in storage to add texture and warmth to the otherwise white interior.
      The apartment includes a home office with a long, L-shaped Calacatta marble desk, which sits below built-in timber shelving with brass accents. Conceived as a tranquil retreat, the workspace is located in the brightest corner of the apartment with tall windows across two walls.

      The workspace is anchored by a Calacatta marble desk
      The studio designed the space to have plenty of light and added an abundance of potted plants to create a productive working environment.
      “A challenge that is becoming more prominent in today’s society is that of the home office and how to integrate it into a living space to make it both comfortable yet productive. The clients often work from home, therefore an effective design for this space was crucial,” said Lim +Lu.
      “The tall windows and brass accents do away with the modern interpretation of a study and instead provide an atmosphere that encourages creativity and a positive work mentality,” the studio continued.
      “An abundance of daylight, neutral colours and wood adorn the room and balance the visual elements together, just as one needs to do between work and relaxation.”

      In the children’s bedroom, shelving is built into green cabin beds
      The children’s room features a set of green cabin beds with built-in shelving and storage.
      “The idea was to incorporate a sense of privacy in an open space without the isolation of separate spaces to foster a sense of togetherness,” said the design team.

      The bathroom features a granite soaking tub
      The children’s room also has its own ensuite bathroom that recalls the layout of a traditional Japanese wet room. Lined in acid-washed granite, the room features a deep soaking tub and a separate shower space that can be used for relaxation and cleansing.
      Following the pandemic, the home office is increasingly becoming an area of focus in the home. Dezeen has highlighted eight inspiring home office designs, including one that’s lined entirely with plywood and another that’s hidden inside an artichoke-shaped room.
      Photography is by Lit Ma.

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      Australia's dramatic landscape and sunsets inform design of Hong Kong cafe

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      The terracotta colour scheme and semi-circular forms used throughout this Hong Kong cafe by architecture firms Studio Etain Ho and Absence from Island pay homage to Uluru and Australia’s spectacular sunsets.Located on a street corner in Hong Kong’s Sai Ying Pun district, the 30-square-metre cafe sits at the bottom of an old apartment building.

      Above: Today is Long features semi-circular windows and murals. Top image: It is located at the bottom of an old apartment block. Photo is courtesy of Dypiem
      It has a generous facade and a tight, triangular plan into which the architects have managed to squeeze a compact kitchen and bar area with a serving counter, as well as an area of bench seating and two toilets.
      Called Today is Long, the cafe is owned by a barista and a public-relations manager, who bonded over their shared love of coffee and the fact they’d both spent time studying and working in Australia.

      The lower part of the cafe’s facade is wrapped in terracotta-coloured tiles. Photo is courtesy of Liz Eatery

      “The cafe is a place to house their fond memories of Australia and the good coffee that makes their life,” explained Etain Ho, who also runs Absence from Island alongside its founder Chi Chun Tang.
      “They would very much like to share the coffee with local residents and to make the cafe into a social hub.”

      Puddle completes concrete coffee shop at Hong Kong’s Star Ferry terminal

      The owners’ love for Australia has been translated into the design in the form a warm orange palette informed by the colours of dusk and the country’s famous natural landmark Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, which is a sandstone monolith in the Northern Territory.
      As well as the colour scheme, the hemispherical shape of a setting sun has been incorporated into the cafe’s walls and windows,  forming a distinctive geometrical facade that distinguishes the cafe from its grey concrete surroundings.

      A tunnel above the entrance houses potted plants
      One of the semi-circular windows is recessed above the cafe’s entrance, creating a sheltered, terracotta-coloured tunnel for housing potted plants.
      A similar shape is carved into the wall below the take-away counter window and rotated sideways to create the rounded rectangle that acts as Today is Long’s largest window.

      Bench seating runs along the window
      A strip of fired ceramic tiles that recall the texture of Uluru’s sunbaked sandstone wraps the lower portion of the cafe’s exterior, extending the warm orange colour scheme to the street.
      Inside, the generous windows, white walls and terrazzo floor create a light and open space. A corner of casual, stepped bench seating topped with terracotta tiles is dotted with potted plants and framed by a semi-circular mural.

      Greenery is integrated liberally into the design. Photo is courtesy of Liz Eatery
      “Australia has always been blessed with abundant amounts of sunlight, so a lot of white has been used together with the large windows to enhance the bright and airy atmosphere,” explained Etain Ho.
      “Spaces have been reserved under the entrance arch, seating area and the overhead storage for plants in order to create a green, lush and natural environment. Coffee grains used in the cafe will also be recycled as fertiliser for the plants.”

      The sign bearing the cafe’s acronym hangs above the door
      Studio Etain Ho and Absence from Island are not the first design studio to use sunset colours to brighten up a grey urban context.
      In Tokyo, local designer Yota Kakuda enlivened a cheese tart shop with a transparent acrylic counter coloured in a gradient of bright pink, orange, yellow and lime.
      All photography is by Fo Visuals unless otherwise stated.

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      Lim + Lu bridges old and new inside Yung's Bistro in Hong Kong

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      Multidisciplinary studio Lim + Lu has based the interior of Yung’s Bistro in Hong Kong on the rich history of its 78-year-old sister restaurant.Yung’s Bistro is an offshoot of esteemed Hong Kong restaurant, Yung Kee, which was founded by Kam Shui-fai as a modest outdoor food stall – known as a dai pai dong – before a brick-and-mortar restaurant was opened in 1942.
      Over the past 78 years the restaurant, which is still in operation, has become revered for its take on Cantonese cuisine and is particularly well known for its roast goose dish.

      Top image: the interior of Yung’s Bistro. Above: a communal table anchors the more casual dining section of the restaurant

      The newly launched Yung’s Bistro is presided over by Shui-fai’s granddaughter, who tasked local studio Lim + Lu with devising a contemporary interior scheme that honours the humble beginnings of its predecessor, Yung Kee.
      “For this project, the client’s brief is rather abstract; remembering their roots while paving the path for the future,” said the studio, which is led by Vincent Lim and Elaine Lu.
      “It was important that the design draws inspiration from the flagship restaurant and allows customers to recognize that this new restaurant is born of the same meticulous DNA towards food preparation and detail-oriented customer service.”

      The tiled drinks bar sits beneath a gridded brass framework
      A subtle mix of old and new has therefore been incorporated throughout Yung’s Bistro, which is loosely divided into two halves.
      The front half of the restaurant plays host to a more casual dining area. At its centre is a communal brass-edged dining table, included as a wink to Yung Kee’s early days as a food stall when customers would often have to share tables because of the scarcity of space in the surrounding alleyway.
      The table is surrounded by green-velvet chairs with slim brass legs, while a series of lantern-like pendant lights by Danish designer Lucie Kass dangle overhead.

      One wall is lined with patterned tiles with brushed-gold detailing
      A corrugated wall runs down one side of the casual dining area, serving as a backdrop to the drinks bar. The curved, C-shaped counter of the bar is clad with sea-green tiles, contrasting the pink stool seats that have been placed directly in front.
      Glassware and trailing plants are openly displayed in a gridded brass framework that’s been suspended from the ceiling. It’s meant to loosely resemble the bamboo scaffolding which is often used in the construction of Hong Kong’s skyscrapers.

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      The wall behind the restaurant’s cashier desk and merchandise shelves are lined with patterned green tiles with brushed-gold detailing, which were cast from tiles that were installed in Yung Kee in 1978.

      The formal dining section of Yung’s Bistro lies at the rear of the restaurantt
      A formal dining area lies in the rear half of Yung’s Bistro, which monochromatic flooring and circular dining tables that Lim + Lu says are more traditional to Chinese restaurants.
      Chefs can be seen bustling away at work in the kitchen through a sequence of brass windows that run down the side of the room.
      “This view of the kitchen is atypical of Chinese cuisine – however, when the kitchen prepares the goose that made its predecessor one of the most famous restaurants in town, it is a true attraction,” the studio explained.

      Screened windows peek through to the kitchen
      Each of the windows has been fitted with a slatted screen that can be drawn down if the chefs in the kitchen want more privacy.
      When drawn-up the screens almost create an awning over the dining tables, another nod to dai pai dong culture where unfurled awning typically symbolises that a food stall is open for business.
      “Yung’s Bistro serves as a quintessential bridge between old and new, a traditional cultural cuisine of Hong Kong meeting more western and contemporary values,” added the studio. “It is a lesson in respecting what has come before, but also the courage for innovation.”

      This side of the restaurant features monochromatic flooring and circular dining tables
      Lim + Lu was established in 2015. Other Hong Kong projects by the studio include the revamp of a fashion designer’s apartment, which was brightened up with pops of yellow, turquoise and coral-pink, and the transformation of an old warehouse into a home for two artists and their five pets.
      Photography is by Lit Ma of Common Studio.

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      Sim-Plex Design Studio creates a four-bedroom smart home in Hong Kong

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      Voice-activated technology and space-saving furniture helped Sim-Plex Design Studio turn a two-bedroom home in Hong Kong into Smart Zendo, a four-bedroom apartment with hidden storage.Smart Zendo is in Hong Kong’s Coastal Skyline neighbourhood. The project has been shortlisted for Dezeen Awards 2020 in the small interior of the year category.

      A coffee table appears on voice command
      Sim-Plex Design Studio converted the home for a couple who often travel for work and needed room for multigenerational living.

      “Eric and Lory moved to Hong Kong from Taiwan many years ago and have a son,” said Sim-Plex founder Patrick Lam.

      Benches hide storage in the kitchen area
      “Eric needs to travel frequently throughout the country, and Lory is a flight attendant. The lack of time spent at home means they often need their grandmother to take care of the children,” added Lam.
      “Eric and Lory often talk about the scenery and homestay in Taiwan and how they missed them so much.”

      The apartment can now house four or five people
      Sim-Plex Design Studio aimed to recreate the feeling of their old home in Taiwan while building a flexible living space that could make the most of the 492-square-foot home.
      Wide windows make the most of the views and pale Maplewood floors and cabinets were chosen to create a calm and warm atmosphere.

      A screen unfolds to turn the living area into a private room
      The floor of the living room is a raised platform with trap door-style elements that lift to reveal hidden storage for children’s toys and other household necessities.
      A coffee table up rises up from the platform to create a sunken bench where the adults can sit and enjoy tea ceremonies.

      Toys can be stored in the raised platform floor
      Technology is everywhere in the apartment, but the interior designers deliberately made it less obvious, preferring a subtle approach rather than overtly futuristic placements.
      Smart homes should use technology to enhance the lives of busy city dwellers, not distract them, said Lam.

      A table rises up for sharing a tea ceremony
      Voice-activated technology allows the residents to open the curtains, turn on the lights, lock or unlock the door and even raise the table.
      Curtains, screens and the home security system are all controlled by apps and remotes, and plugs and wall sockets are all secreted away.

      Big windows frame the scenery
      “The integrated TV cabinet wall and the wooden floor platform are plain and warm, yet hide a large number of intelligent devices,” said Lam.
      “The design is also integrated into the traditional Feng Shui doctrine, to create a spiritual space where tradition and technology, people and scenery are combined.”

      A raised platform in the bedroom forms a desk chair
      Eric, in particular, is a keen practitioner of Feng Shui, so Sim-Plex Design Studio carefully oriented the living space according to this. Maplewood was chosen to represent the wood element of Feng Shui.

      Pets Playground apartment in Hong Kong is designed for couple, a parrot and a cat

      “Although the traditional Feng Shui aesthetics and smart technology seems to be contradictory, if applied properly, they also have their compatibility,” said Lam.

      Wood was chosen for its symbolism in Feng Shui
      The open plan kitchen and living room freed up the old kitchen room, which has been converted into a third bedroom for the family’s live-in maid.
      Sliding doors can screen off the living area from the kitchen to create an extra fourth bedroom for when the grandmother comes to stay.

      A makeup table folds out in the bedroom
      Space-saving furniture has been used throughout, including rounded benches that tuck under the dining table in the kitchen area. More storage is integrated into the base of the chairs and the slim drawers in the tabletop.
      In the child’s room, the platform-style bed doubles as a chair for sitting at a desk, while the master bedroom has a hidden makeup table and the bed can double as a stool for using it.

      Marble tiles clad the walls in the bathroom
      The bathroom, with its marble-tiled walls, was modelled on a boutique hotel aesthetic.
      Sim-Plex Design Studio was founded by Patrick Lam and specialises in small space solutions for Hong Kong residents.
      The studio recently designed an apartment in Yuen Long for a multigenerational family – and their pet cat and parrot.

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